Moon
A solitary lunar worker discovers that the corporation sustaining Earth’s future has made his own identity expendable.
Overview
A solitary worker on the moon faces a crisis of identity and sanity as he uncovers unsettling truths about his existence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- claustrophobic
- thoughtful
- late night viewing
- thoughtful movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Duncan Jones's thoughtful direction, Sam Rockwell's poignant dual performance, and the film's intelligent use of modest science-fiction production to explore identity and humanity.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film builds its lunar station and industrial future through practical models, restrained visual effects, and a tightly contained setting.
Sam's discovery exposes Lunar Industries' exploitation of cloned workers and forces questions about rights, autonomy, and identity.
The accident, altered perceptions, and encounter with an apparent double make Sam question his sanity and true identity.
The white station interiors, limited communication, and barren lunar landscape turn isolation into the film's dominant atmosphere.
Films like Moon, and why
2001: A Space Odyssey
shares minimalist hard science fiction, lunar isolation, artificial intelligence, and philosophical questions about humanity
Silent Running
shares contained space-station suspense, corporate exploitation, and an intelligent computer whose loyalties are uncertain
Blade Runner
shares identity instability, corporate dystopia, and cerebral psychological science fiction in an oppressive future
The Man from Earth
shares low-budget speculative fiction, existential identity themes, and an intimate performance-driven approach
Movie Details
- Director
- Duncan Jones
- Release Date
- 2009-06-12
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (6534)
Cast
- Sam Rockwell
- Kevin Spacey
- Dominique McElligott
- Rosie Shaw
- Adrienne Shaw
- Kaya Scodelario
- Benedict Wong
- Matt Berry
- Malcolm Stewart
- Robin Chalk
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Moon about?
- A solitary lunar worker discovers that the corporation sustaining Earth’s future has made his own identity expendable.
- What is Moon like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Moon as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Moon violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Moon as mild.
- What did critics think of Moon?
- Critics broadly praised Duncan Jones's thoughtful direction, Sam Rockwell's poignant dual performance, and the film's intelligent use of modest science-fiction production to explore identity and humanity.
- Which films are like Moon?
- Films with a similar feel include 2001: A Space Odyssey, Silent Running, Blade Runner, and The Man from Earth.
- How long is Moon?
- Moon runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Moon?
- In United States, Moon streams on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel.
