Mystery on the dark side of the moon.
Presentation:
An indie sci-fi film with a cult following, this film still impresses despite it being clear where the budget cut corners. The CGI of this film is outdated but the sets are quite nice with a nice grade reminiscent of Interstellar. However, that’s where the similarities end. The film follows Sam Rockwell’s character, whom plays off of himself with a double. It’s quite impressive, but I’m not certain he has the star power required for such a character focused film with pretty much only 1 other character, whom we don’t even get to see the face of. Kevin Spacey’s voice is immediately recognizable compared to the drawl of Sam Bell. Rockwell does a decent job, but the film is ultimately not as deep in the catalogue of space films in 2025. That being said, I doubt modern films like Mickey 17 would have been made if this one didn’t blaze the trail.
Conclusion:
A novel concept and a fine script that still left me feeling underwhelmed. This is a cult favorite among many, but I personally found it dull. A questionable take, but maybe this is one of the few times some action or Hollywood flair would have helped to keep this film from drifting into space. It’s a good mystery, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a quieter episode of Black Mirror.
Recommendations
But who keeps the lights on in the mind?