Moon 44 (1990) Directed by Roland Emmerich. With Michael Pare, Lisa Eichhorn, Malcolm McDowell, Stephen Geoffries, Brian Thompson, Leon Rippy, Dean Devlin.
While not particularly significant or influential as a film itself, Moon 44 nevertheless signaled the arrival of heavyweight blockbuster director, Roland Emmerich on the Hollywood radar. Actually, what’s so surprising about this sci-fi actioner, is just how dull and low-key it is, considering how colorful and joyfully inflated Emmerich’s work became.
Not only is the plot boringly stale and unadventurous, the film is devoid of any standout characters to detract from all the signposted developments in the narrative. Good actors like Malcolm McDowell fade in and out of scenes, barely registering, thanks to a flat script that affords no emotional engagement.
What it does have in its favour, is a sense of gritty, lived in sci-fi realism, clearly inspired by that of Ridley Scott’s Alien and Blade Runner. The impressive set design only furthers the sense of frustration with a stationary plot that revolves around large companies fighting over resources in the year 2036.
While Moon 44 begins promisingly, it will struggle to retain your interest beyond the first 15-minutes. As aforementioned, little of Emmerich’s fun style surfaces in this bleak and frankly rudderless adventure. 2/5
