The ethical dilemmas of human cloning in a futuristic lunar setting, "Moon" delves into the blurred boundaries of identity and humanity.
1. Introduction
2. Content and Synopsis
3. Impressive Scenes
4. Review
5. Conclusion
Introduction
It has been over 50 years since humanity took its first steps on the moon. While we haven't exactly 'conquered' the moon, we have at least determined that there are no rabbits hopping around on its surface. The moon, our Earth's only satellite and a symbol of great importance in our lives, remains a mysterious entity despite our advancements in science and technology. This movie, "The Moon," as the title suggests, is set against the backdrop of the moon. However, strictly speaking, the moon itself is not the main subject but rather serves as a convenient setting in a futuristic world where space is an essential element.
This film unfolds with a mysterious atmosphere befitting its genre of SF thriller. To cut to the chase, it revolves around the conflict between clone humans, or replicants, each claiming to be the 'real' one. Ultimately, it is revealed that both were replicants, and countless identical copies of 'me' exist, each carrying out the same mission repeatedly. Additionally, the appearance of robots, more humane than humans themselves, prompts contemplation on what it means to be human and the nature of 'self.'
Plot Summary
The story unfolds in a distant future where Earth's fossil fuels are depleted, and food shortages and environmental pollution make life on Earth increasingly difficult. In response, Luna, an energy production company, plans a new venture to recover the polluted Earth and supply new energy sources. Their plan involves harvesting helium-3 deposited on the moon's surface by solar winds to provide energy, which eventually becomes a significant portion of Earth's energy supply. The protagonist of this movie, Sam, is one of the individuals sent to the moon for helium-3 mining. Sent to the moon for a three-year rotation, Sam resides in a base with only an artificial intelligence robot, GERTY, for company.
While performing his duties, Sam realizes that communication with Earth keeps getting cut off, just two weeks before his scheduled return. Despite this, he eagerly awaits the day he can return to Earth, especially to send video messages to his beloved wife and daughter. One day, while mining helium-3 as usual, Sam collapses and loses his memory. As he lies in the base's sickbay, he witnesses GERTY communicating with Earth, which contradicts previous claims that communication was impossible. Suspicious, Sam ventures outside the base and discovers another unconscious version of himself inside a malfunctioning machine he had seen earlier.
Sam moves the other version of himself to the sickbay. When he asks GERTY who this person is, GERTY remains silent. The recovered alternate version of Sam awakens and begins conversing with Sam. They argue vehemently, each claiming to be the real Sam and accusing the other of being a clone. Convinced that there are more clones, Sam searches around and finally gets an answer from GERTY. According to GERTY, both Sams are clones and are reborn every three years. Starting life in the sickbay is the default setting, and their memories are transplanted and edited from the real Sam's memories. Hearing this, both Sams descend into a hidden chamber within the base, where they come face to face with hundreds of sleeping versions of themselves stored in cases. Realizing the truth, Sam boards a helium transport spacecraft bound for Earth, exposing Luna's cloning practices, and the movie concludes.
Impressive Scene
Before watching the movie, seeing the title and poster, one might expect to witness cosmic disasters or encounters with extraterrestrial life in this sci-fi film. However, rather than flashy action or stunning visuals, the story unfolds calmly.
The concept of clones or replicants is not particularly surprising in the current context. So, the scene where the protagonist discovers that he is actually a clone and that hundreds of such clones are prepared did not shock me greatly. However, it did provoke various thoughts.
We often imagine what it would be like to have a clone of ourselves to do our tasks. And in this movie, such clones are introduced. However, the slightly different aspect is that the story is told from the perspective of a clone, not the original self.
The movie indirectly showcases the potential societal issues that may arise if clones are utilized in industrial sectors. Clone Sam shares the same memories as the original Sam and speaks in the same manner, but is disposed of after three years of use. If clones were commercialized, the issue of clone rights might become a societal problem.
Moreover, the movie raises important questions about the value of our own existence. If exact replicas of ourselves, not mere robots but true clones, exist, the value of human existence could be nullified. If the clones were to assert themselves as the real ones and initiate a rebellion, contemplating whether it would be wrong to kill the real me and impersonate them is essential.
Thus, the movie presents philosophical messages about the value of our existence and whether our sense of self is real.
Review
The moon has been a familiar presence to us, even leading us to imagine that rabbits might live there, as depicted in classic folklore. Duncan Jones portrays this familiar space as humanity's new energy frontier while also setting it up as a mysterious space far away from the desired Earth. What secrets might be hidden there? Like the known secrets, the intertwined and twisted secrets entwined with human greed await the final revelation in silence.
The cast is led by Sam Rockwell, who may not be well-known to the general public in our country, and Kevin Spacey, who only lends his voice to the robot 'Gerty,' appearing on monitors and in the imagination. Aside from a few people seen on screens or imagined, the director, Duncan Jones, is also a relatively unknown figure, and the film does not seem to have a particularly high production budget. Personally, it may be a stretch to call it an excellent film, but considering the results compared to the investment, it is certainly a commendable work.
The setting of 'me' and 'another me' is a theme that frequently appears in other SF films. Therefore, one might think that there is nothing particularly new about it. However, the reason this film stands out with a unique color is that it delves into the excellent depths of human psychology, focusing on philosophical aspects. The shock that all my memories so far may be nothing more than imagination or created by someone else, as we fight believing that we are the real ones despite sharing the same appearance, thoughts, and memories with another being, is what sets it apart.
Machines and robots, as seen in "Terminator," have traditionally been seen as threats to humans, but in "Moon," 'Gerty' is depicted somewhat differently. With Kevin Spacey's warm voice and images displayed on the screen, Gerty can be perceived as a being that can understand human psychological states and interact with humans. Its devoted assistance to Sam, the human protagonist, in critical moments, portrayed a more humane aspect, creating the illusion of a warm heart in the cold machine. Although a clone, Gerty is not fundamentally different from humans, prompting us to ponder what is more human, while the legitimacy and ethical standards of clones no longer hold meaning.
Despite occasional ambiguous treatment of the meaning of hallucinations, the film offers excellent entertainment and thrills in an unexpected blend of SF and thriller. It prompts us to question philosophical inquiries such as 'Who am I?' and 'Do I exist?' and makes us reflect on how far human greed can go.
The cast is not extensive. It's not just a matter of being limited; there's only one character. Although a few people appear on screen through video communication, the only person acting in front of the camera is the protagonist. Moreover, despite being an SF film, there are no flashy battle scenes with futuristic weapons or scenes of spaceships drifting in space. However, the film's solitary journey was sufficiently immersive. While it may lack excitement, it provides ample food for thought. It may be somewhat dull for some viewers, but most people would find themselves easily immersed in it. Furthermore, given the profound theme, this is even more evident.
If you know beforehand that the protagonist is a clone, you may feel less immersed or shocked by the content. However, the film does not rely solely on its twist, as its themes are fully conveyed even if the spoiler is known.
After watching, you're left with a lingering and somewhat melancholic feeling. The role of the background music was significant. The same music plays in two important scenes, expressing the loneliness of the replicated self and the extreme loneliness of being tens of thousands of kilometers away from Earth with restrained emotions. Particularly, the sharp image of Earth viewed from the Moon, emphasized with the short dialogue, "I'm ready, I want to go home," effectively blends the indescribable mental loneliness of the replicated human and the distance from the physical world.
It's a humane drama without humans appearing. Even when the rescue team arrives at the end, only their voices, shadows, hands, and feet are shown, with no faces. It seems to be entirely intentional on the director's part, perhaps to convey human immorality and cruelty without showing any humans.
The film portrays a more human-like clone, Sam, and the robotic Gerty who cares for him like a parent, allowing us to talk about and think about humans by featuring only clones and robots.
Conclusion
It may seem somewhat dry to have only one actor performing in a single location, but the well-portrayed future with a highly realistic lunar mining base, accompanied tasks, and the psychological shock of realizing one's status as a clone are depicted solidly. The film's seamless flow kept me engaged throughout, without ever taking my eyes off the screen. Unlike in typical Hollywood films of this genre, there are no killers, monsters, or artificial intelligence computers attacking humans when the truth is revealed. Despite the absence of the familiar Hollywood-style violence, I was able to immerse myself fully in the film and enjoy it.
Although unrelated to the film's content, it's worth mentioning that director Duncan Jones is known to have a great fondness for Korea. This is reflected in the lunar base in the film being named 'SARANG,' meaning 'love' in Korean, and occasional Korean greetings appearing throughout the movie. Additionally, the Luna Industries depicted in the film is portrayed as a joint venture between Korea and the United States. As a Korean, it's truly heartwarming to see these aspects included in the film.
