Whom mortals call the moon.

Harlan Ellison will be angry as hell if/when he learns that so many critics have used the term "sci-fi" in lieu of "hard science fiction" to describe Duncan Jones' Moon. This film is far more intelligent than the usual drivel shoveled down the throats of moviegoers each summer, relying on a thought-provoking scenario and interesting characters rather than overblown special effects to make the sell (this is not to imply that Moon looks cheap; quite the contrary, as it looks incredible considering its minuscule five million dollar budget).

Sam Rockwell gives a commanding performance as Sam Bell, carrying the film almost entirely by himself as he nears the end of a three-year assignment harvesting energy on the dark side of Earth's moon. His only companion is the robotic Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey), programmed to monitor Sam and help cope with his isolation. The HAL comparisons are inevitable and most likely intentional, as viewers are forced to ask time and again whether or not Gerty can be trusted to act in Sam's best interests.

Duncan Jones' directorial debut is impressive, building interest in his future ventures as he begins what will hopefully be a fruitful career as an intelligent filmmaker. Composer Clint Mansell provides the newest in a long string of hauntingly wonderful scores (having scored all of Darren Aronofsky's films), capturing the isolation and psychological trauma Sam experiences as events unfold. This film is not candy but rather the main course of an exquisite meal, and well worth the time of viewers who like to think about what they are experiencing. This is why Moon merits a strong 4.5 out of 5.