‘Moonfall’ falls short
WHEN I was younger, my aunt would restrict my viewing habits. According to her, you shouldn’t waste time watching something unless you can learn from it. She was well-intentioned, but when you’re six, a bit of mindless action is all you’re looking for. Yet as I sat through Moonfall, all I could think was how little I was learning from it and how few people should waste their time watching it.
In the vein of Independence Day and 2012, Moonfall is a gigantic apocalyptic disaster movie, complete with impossible action and incredulous optimism in the face of extinction. Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson and John Bradley West lead the charge as the Earth is under threat of an impact from its moon, descending quickly in free fall.
Putting aside the mental gymnastics it takes to contemplate the stupidity of its plot, Moonfall attempts to get by with tongue-incheek humour juxtaposed against the dread of the end of the world. It’s a discordant mix that creates a feeling of nausea that keeps you from enjoying the film at all.
The contradictions go further as the film creates a moon-sized headache. The script continuously pokes fun at conspiracy theorists, yet establishes one as a prophet for the film’s conflict. The characters are surrounded by the kind of flooding that would make Noah blush, but have clear skies and dry streets whenever they need to get from point A to point B. All of which is underscored by a deeper message about the dangers of limited funding to space programmes. Nations of the world, take heed.
Perhaps it’s because the kind of disaster in Moonfall is seen too often in your modern blockbuster. Maybe it’s because the types of clichés in the film were just eviscerated in Don’t Look Up. Either way, Moonfall is a film that feels like it doesn’t belong. Its ridiculous premise keeps you from taking it seriously, and rather than lean into itself as a farce, its attempts at humour irritate. You might think that the spectacle would be worth the price of admission, but while some shots inspire awe, others feel like a cheap render on a poorly lit green screen.
If you’re looking for the most mindless moon movie around, look no further than Moonfall. You may have a great time, but for myself, I can’t comfortably recommend it to anyone. At least, not anyone over the age of six.
Rating: Read A Book