This 16-Year-Old Sci-Fi Masterpiece Is a Must-See if You're Obsessed With Severance
Need more sterile white walls pressing down on the heads of the characters? This movie is the perfect choice.
Severance, which recently premiered its second season on Apple TV+, has become a new major sci-fi hit. Ben Stiller's project not only surprises with its well-thought-out plot and dozens of intriguing mysteries, but also with its impeccable visual execution.
The world of Severance consists of lifeless labyrinths of corridors connecting office spaces. To synchronize the viewer with the physiological experiences of the characters, production designer Jeremy Hindle built a grotesque space with blindingly bright light, oppressive white walls, dangerously sharp angles, and alarmingly vast spaces.
If this aesthetic appeals to you, we have another similarly minimalist project in the sci-fi genre – the 2009 film Moon, starring Sam Rockwell.
What Is Moon About?
Sam Bell works on a lunar station mining Helium-3, a valuable resource that once helped Earth overcome its energy crisis.
He has been alone for three years now, except for the robot GERTY. Sam is only happy about one thing: there are only three days left until the end of his contract, after which he will finally be able to return to his family.
On one of his last days on the station, Sam has an accident, but wakes up in the medical bay unharmed. Despite GERTY's orders, he decides to investigate the scene of the accident and finds his identical twin in the crumpled lunar rover.
Moon Amazes With Its Minimalist but Detailed Visuals
Moon was the feature film directorial debut of David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones. He took the best from the classics of science fiction, not only in terms of meaning and style, but also in technical aspects.
The movie was shot exactly as they did in the 80's and 90's of the last century. The station was a closed set, like the Sulaco module in Alien, and the lunar landscapes and equipment were filmed using miniatures.
At the same time, the interior design of the station resembles Lumon offices – snow-white, almost sterile walls that press on the main character from all sides.
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Moon Is a Sci-Fi With a Strong Plot & Brilliant Performance by Sam Rockwell
The director proves that the sci-fi genre is not only a reason to paint the screen with explosions, but also to put the character in a situation where his qualities are fully revealed.
Vacuum is an excellent filter from the background noise of civilization. Thanks to this, we see a concentration of emotions untainted by the influence of society. Sam Rockwell, for whom Moon became a benefit performance, also helps the cause, especially since the script was written specifically for him.