(Movie Review) 'The Moon': A Visual Feast With A Lackluster Story
Kim Yun Young
SEOUL, July 26 (Yonhap) -- " Moon " is a visually stunning space survival movie, but the story is very predictable and often overly dramatic, making it feel like an old movie despite its impressive visuals.
Director Kim Yong Hwa's latest sci-fi film takes viewers into the vast universe and tells the story of an astronaut stranded in space on an ill-fated moon exploration mission to survive and return home.
With the success of Hollywood blockbusters such as Gravity (2013) and The Martian (2015), thrilling tales of space survival, it's not a matter of when an isolated astronaut returns home, but when he does.
Kim, creator of the hit sci-fi series Alone with the Gods (2017-2018), adds the personal stories of the main characters to tell a thrilling human story of space exploration.
However, too many repetitive shots and dramatic moments do not allow to find the right balance between great visual effects (VFX) and cheesy stories.
Set in the year 2029, the story follows South Korea's second manned lunar exploration mission after failing five years earlier, which was once again plunged into disaster when strong solar winds caused the spacecraft to malfunction, killing two crew members.
Now, Hwang Sung Woo (Do Kyung Sun), a former member of the UDT (Underwater Demolition Squad), faces a dire situation in outer space where he may run out of oxygen or freeze to death. In order to be rescued by another spaceship, he must reach the right corner of the far side of the moon with limited resources.
Behind the rescue operation is Kim Jae Kook (Sol Kyung Gu), who left South Korea's Naro Space Center after the failure of the first lunar project.
In an attempt to free him from guilt and responsibility, Kim enlists the help of Han Moon Young (Kim Hye Ae), the director general of the NASA space station, and his ex-wife.
Hwang, who has volunteered for the project to complete his father's failed mission, learns that Kim is his father's former partner and is initially hostile towards him, but follows Kim's orders.
An astronaut overcomes several obstacles to set foot on the moon, but once again finds himself in danger and needs NASA's help to get home.
Protagonist Don, who appears mostly alone in a heavy space suit, walks through every line and moment with sincerity, portraying complex emotions such as fear, despair, anger and loneliness.
Veteran actors Seol and Kim portray the desperate moments well, but their dialogue, full of scientific terms, is often difficult to understand without subtitles due to radio signals and ambient noise.
In addition to a good plot, the film realistically portrays what will happen on the moon and accurately portrays the scientific side, which was confirmed by Korean aerospace and space science experts who successfully launched the domestic Nuri rocket and space satellite in May. and the Korea Institute of Astronomy and Aerospace Sciences.
Realistic spaceships and spacecraft inspired by NASA's manned space program and multi-layered lighting offer viewers an immersive cinematic experience when viewed on the big screen.
The film may not be groundbreaking in terms of visuals and storytelling, but the space film, with an estimated budget of 28 billion won ($21.8 million), was far less expensive than its Hollywood counterparts in advance of using the latest VFX technology in the film industry. its effectiveness within the genre.
"Luna" will appear in local cinemas next Wednesday.
ejkim@yna.co.kr:
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