In The film Moon seems quite heavy with themes
inspired by previous science fiction films. There were two specific elements of
the film which seemed to be inspired by previous science fiction efforts that
we have viewed in class, and they both deal with the theme of humanity. First,
the robot that helps Sam seems to be inspired by HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Second, the clones, combined with their limited lifespans, are reminiscent of
the Replicants in Blade Runner.
These are
things we’ve seen before. The general ideas of the clones and the computer are
familiar to us. What is different is how they’re handled in the film Moon.
In the other films, both the computer and the clones, which aren’t really
people in the most traditional sense, are shown to be the antagonists for the
majority of the film. They are established as different from the main
characters in each of the other films. However, in Moon, they are the
norm. Although, for example, we don’t know that Sam in a clone at the beginning
of the film, it doesn’t change our opinion of him once we find out: his
character has already been established. It’s the same way for the computer; he
isn’t as much of an antagonist as HAL was. Although there are scenes that
suggest he may be conspiring to some extent, we also see him help Sam
throughout the film.
I guess
what I’m trying to say is that, while Moon has types of characters we’ve
seen before; they are shown in a different light. This lets us consider the
events of the film from their point of view. What the lead replicant in Blade Runner
considers at the end of the film could easily be how Sam feels in this film –
we just feel differently about it because the film shows things from Sam’s
point of view.
Lastly, in
contrast to some of the other films we’ve seen, Moon doesn’t seem to be
trying to be a spectacle. 2001, Things to Come, and Blade
Runner, to an extent, put a lot of time into showing off their respective
visions of the future. Moon, apart from obviously taking place on the
moon, didn’t really have these huge spectacle effects or set pieces. I think
that this was probably done to put the focus on the characters, but it also could’ve
been a product of limited financial resources.
Great observation about the clones and computer being the "norm" in the film. That seems vital to the film's sense of freshness even though it's covering familiar territory. I felt bad for HAL when he got turned off, but GERTY just rocks. It's odd to find yourself being moved by a box made up of wires and gears. How did that soul sneak in there?
ReplyDeleteI think you're leading up to a good point about how revealing the subtleties of character, the flaws and positivie qualities of both the robots and the Sams, is key to what makes this film stick. Rather than using 2-dimensional figures to explore a future with new technology and large-scale dangers/consequences, Moon uses a future with new technology and large-scale dangers/consequences to explore complex character relationships and identity crises.
ReplyDeleteI also find it interesting that in Moon, the roles are reversed, in which the robots and clones are the protagonists, while humans are portrayed as the antagonists. It is easier for the audience to sympathize and relate with humans since we are humans, which makes it a more obvious choice for a protagonist in a film. I like how this film breaks from that norm and actually spends time developing the character of a non-human character, allowing the audience to sympathize with them more than humans, providing an alternate point of view.
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