Move over, “Gravity.”
Science fiction movies often become science fact, as “Over the Moon” illustrates.
The film features three astronauts—Peer Gyllenhaal, Tim Roth and Tadanobu Asano—plus a mining group led by Sylvester Stallone. The three other characters are played by Luther’s Mads Mikkelsen, Armie Hammer and newcomers Mckenna Grace and Winston Duke.
“Over the Moon” is set in the near future, after two space missions and one catastrophe. The crew is looking for resources on a moon orbiting the Earth. The minerals needed for a long-term supply of energy are abundant in the moon, but the source is dark, dirty and dangerous, leaving the astronauts to scour the lunar surface with extreme caution and patience.
In the brave new world, communications on the ground are cut off, leaving the astronauts to hope for nearby communication satellites.
The film is overseen by filmmaker Joshua Z. Weinstein, who wrote the screenplay with Morgan Freeman. Weinstein and Freeman worked together on “Invictus,” the film about Nelson Mandela.
With footage of Earth and its residents spliced seamlessly into the action, the production is a charming blend of science fiction and real-life heroes — stars like Stallone and Gyllenhaal. It’s a quick and compelling trip into a vivid but not-yet-realized world.
