Several years ago, I listened to an enjoyable 1950's era radio drama about an astronaut who falls prey to dementia after prolonged exposure to the solitude of living in deep space. So I very much looked forward to Moon, for all appearances a philosophical sci-fi thriller in the same vein. If Moon disappointed me on some level, it probably had more to do with my expectations than its delivery. This DVD, however, didn't disappoint at all.

MOVIE:
Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) hasn't seen another human being in nearly three years. An astronaut miner assigned to a remote base on the dark side of the Moon, Sam is only two weeks shy of completing his contract and returning to Earth where his wife and daughter eagerly await his return. While the solitude has been enlightening, Sam is lonely, eager to make up for lost time, and growing increasingly uneasy with the isolation. Some days he feels like an old man coming apart at the mental seams. He's even started seeing people who aren't really there.

After a debilitating accident nearly kills him, it becomes clear to Sam that he may be more disturbed than he initially thought. Waking up in sickbay, he discovers his replacement has finally arrived. But Sam is flabbergasted when the man appears to be his identical twin. Is the newcomer yet another figment of Sam's increasingly addled imagination or something far more nefarious?

Moon, a stylish and moody psychological sci-fi outing in the tone of Steven Soderbergh's Solaris, is the first feature film by director Duncan Jones. It is, quite simply, an astonishingly good debut, supremely confident and assured. The production values are first-rate, the use of models rather than CGI deliciously refreshing, and composer Clint Mansel's repetitive nature perfectly suited for the film's monotonous countdown of days.

Sam Rockwell, who is in nearly every single frame of the film, and most times, pulls double duty, is simply terrific. Sam's sole companion is a robotic assistant named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey), which moves about the facility via rails embedded in the ceiling (think OTO in WALL*E) and has a small screen that displays various emoticon representations of the machine's programmed emotional state. As the film goes on, it becomes increasingly obvious that, like HAL in 2001 or Mother in Alien, the computer is not telling the whole truth and is withholding information vital to its human companion's survival. However, what Moon does with this familiar man vs. machine trope is infinitely original and satisfying.

SOUND + VISION:
Moon is presented in 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen format, preserving the original theatrical aspect ratio. The audio is presented in English and French 5.1 Dolby Digital. Subtitles are available in English and French.

Aside from a few lunar bits, there isn't much visual demand placed on Moon (that said, I would have loved to have seen this film for those scenes alone). The rest of the film takes place entirely on a claustrophobic, mostly monochromatic, largely dimly lit set. This leads to an inevitable flatness to the images, but so long as you understand that it is an intentional look and actually accentuates the psychological state of the main character(s), you'll do fine. Likewise, there is not a whole lot of demand asked of the audio channels, though, like the video, they step up to the plate when asked. Both the dialogue and sound effects share equal weight, and Clint Mansell's score moodily haunts the background.

PACKAGING/ LAYOUT:
Moon is presented in a simple keepcase. The cover art is a duplication of the poster-Rockwell in a pressure-suit standing in front of a spherical pattern. The backside bears images from the film, a brief synopsis and the usual technical suspects. The menus are clear and easy to navigate.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Commentary with Writer/director Duncan Jones, Director of Photography Gary Shaw, Concept Designer Gavin Rothery and Production designer Tony Noble - Though this is a bit of a scattershot effort, it is perfect for a film like this. These are just the guys-those responsible for the look and feel of the film-that we want to hear from and they each bring some great specifics to the commentary.
• Commentary with Writer/Director Duncan Jones and Producer Stuart Fenegan - This is more of the traditional commentary we've come to expect, full of tons of great information regarding the development of the story, how it bears the hallmarks of sci-fi predecessors and a plethora of production details.
• "Whistle" - A Short Film by Duncan Jones (28:47) - Half sci fi, half domestic drama, this short about an assassin who can take out his targets from a continent away, is smart if simple.
• The Making of Moon (16:18) - Turns out Jones wanted Rockwell for his debut film all along and sent him a script accordingly. But Rockwell didn't want to play the character written for him and casually mentioned that he liked sci-fi as an alternative. Jones went home that day and began writing Moon. Jones narrates this glimpse into the film, chatting about the difficulty of acting against yourself, and the fun of creating practical effects.
• Creating the Visual Effects (11:10) - Here's the one you bought the DVD for! This featurette discusses how they built the Moon base in its entirety, how it was size restrictive and they ended up cutting holes in it for shooting, how miniatures were used instead of CGI (though there is still plenty of computerized enhancements), and how they integrated all the Sams together.
• Science Center Q&A with Director Duncan Jones (20:49) - There is nothing, Jones admits, more intimidating than speaking in front of an audience of NASA scientists! The director gets asked lots of great questions and provides lots of great answers about if there will be a sequel, how philosophy contributed to the script, favorite moments, cinematic inspirations, the science behind the science fiction (naturally, at this venue!), and the score.
• Filmmaker's Q&A at the Sundance Film Festival (11:16) - More great questions and answers, this time at the film's Sundance premiere, including how hard it was for Sam to work with himself ("that guy is such a diva!"), inspiration for the story, special effects, how they found funding, the similarities between HAL 9000 and GERTY, how to make trailers that don't give away the film's secrets, and future projects ("a spiritual sequel to Blade Runner!").
• Theatrical Trailer

Previews: District 9, Black Dynamite, The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day, This is It, and more...

FLY ME TO THE MOON:
Where Moon ran afoul of my expectations was that it was not the philosophical treatise I was hoping for, but rather something far simpler and far more literal. What I assumed to be metaphor turned out to be reality. While I can't help feeling that the narrative stopped short of greatness and ended far too quickly and tidily, Moon is nonetheless an enjoyable film, a throwback to straightforward, unfussy storytelling, acutely uncluttered by philosophy or deeper meaning. This DVD, complimented by a bunch of superlative bonus features, is a perfect way to see for yourself.

 FILM GRADE: B+
DVD SOUND + VISION: B
DVD PACKAGING/LAYOUT: B-
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: A-
DVD OVERALL SCORE: B+