The 2009 sci-fi movie Moon features an incredible performance from Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, an astronaut who makes a terrifying discovery after being in space for almost three years. While there are countless movies that are set in space, this is definitely one of the most interesting and well-crafted. Unlike more recent releases that can feel cheesy and like a vehicle to show off special effects, Moon tells an honest and sad story about one man who feels more alone with every new fact that he learns. While audiences don't learn a ton about him or his background, he still feels like a fully formed character, which is important.
Moon's plot never lags for one moment, and Rockwell is perfectly cast as an astronaut in an unimaginable and eerie situation. What happens during Moon? And is the Moon ending as gripping and intelligent as the rest of the story? There are definitely many reasons to revisit this great film that was released over a decade ago.
What Is Moon About?
Moon is one of Sam Rockwell's best movies and that is definitely saying something. He played Sam Bell, an astronaut who realizes that there is someone else who looks like him. When he learns that they are both clones, he is understandably terrified, and it's an epic movie plot twist.
The actor has had a fascinating movie career that includes movies like The Green Mile, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Jojo Rabbit, and Conviction. It was his turn in the 2017 film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri as Officer Jason Dixon that got him even more attention. Rockwell showed his amazing talent in this movie as a police officer who is as unlikeable as they come. Even though he has been in so many memorable movies, Sam Rockwell's performance in Moon is still one of his most compelling. While there are many underrated 2000s sci-fi movies, Moon thankfully got the praise that it deserves and Rockwell is a big reason why.
As Sam spends time in space, he can talk to GERTY, a piece of artificial intelligence. He passes out and finds himself in the infirmary. When he finds another rover, he sees his doppelganger, and they work together to figure out what's going on. When one Sam, who is older, starts feeling sick, it's clear that they don't have much time left.
The cloning trope is popular in sci-fi and Moon offers up something that feels brand new. Sam Rockwell said in an interview with The Guardian that he listened to the commentary by Jeremy Irons on the DVD of Dead Ringers and thought carefully about how he would play clones. Rockwell said, "A lot of the time, I was acting opposite a tennis ball on a stand, or opposite Robin Chalk, an actor who looked like me from the back. I would go into makeup to switch to the other clone two or three times a day – we were trying to complete whole scenes. It was a wild experience."
How Does Moon End?
Moon ends with the clones learning a harsh truth: if a team comes to save them, they will be murdered. The second Sam, who is older, realizes that clones are supposed to die when the three-year plan to stay in space is over. The younger Sam wants GERTY to find a third clone so the older Sam can go back home. The younger Sam leaves the spacecraft and goes to Earth and the older Sam dies. However, the older Sam is able to see the younger Sam find safety back home, which seems to make them happy.
While some sci-fi movies almost had different endings, it doesn't seem like Moon could conclude another way. It would be disappointing if at least one clone didn't go back to Earth. And it feels like the world needs to learn about what has happened. Thankfully, both of these things happen, and Sam Rockwell continues to deliver an awe-inspiring performance throughout Moon's third act.
When the spacecraft gets back to Earth, audiences see news stories that say Lunar Industries is now being investigated. Sam told the truth about the conspiracy aboard the spacecraft. Now Lunar's stock is low because people are so upset with the way that Sam was treated.
While it's good to see Lunar Industries getting in trouble, it's tough to say that the Moon ending is a truly and honestly satisfying movie ending. While Moon is an incredibly well-crafted movie, it would be nice to see Sam living a happier life back on Earth. However, that might feel a little too corny for the movie's tone. Moon ends the way that it should and presents a logical end to Sam Bell's tragic and devastating story.