Korean sci-fi flick ‘The Moon’, starring EXO’s Do Kung-soo, leaves a lot to be desired
- Movie combines elements from ‘The Martian’ and ‘Interstellar’ and features excellent CGI but flawed execution
- Praiseworthy performances and emotional soundtrack can’t make up for bad writing, but visuals make it worth a watch
Doh Kyung-soo stars in Korean sci-fi film “The Moon”: Photo: YouTubeThe Moon is a Korean space film that combines elements from classic movies like The Martian and Interstellar and attempts to convey messages of perseverance and community. Although the visual effects and acting were well-executed, the overall delivery falls short.
In the film, astronaut Hwang Seon-woo (played by Do Kung-soo, a member of the popular Korean boy band EXO) struggles to emerge alive from a failed space expedition to retrieve moon ice.
Hwang’s crewmates die while trying to patch up the ship from strong solar wind, leaving the protagonist stranded and running out of oxygen. The space centre seeks help from former managing director Kim Jae-guk (Sul Kyung-gu) to prevent catastrophe.
To begin with, the cinematography and CGI of this film are spectacular, and it was a unique experience to see the moon and glittering universe on full display in the cinema. An ethereal and emotional soundtrack pulls it all together.
The actors’ performances were also praiseworthy, particularly Do and Sul, who contribute a sense of urgency and drama to a plot that does not quite add up.
One major issue with the writing is Hwang’s lack of knowledge about how to maintain the ship – after all, being chosen to be an astronaut is an extremely rigorous and selective process.
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Though it showcases Hwang’s resilience, his incompetence drives the storyline as he continuously encounters impending doom, with seemingly inescapable disasters coming one after the other.
This also affects the pacing of the film as the poorly-written protagonist is bombarded with too many life-threatening situations. There aren’t enough moments for the audience to take a breath and enjoy comedic relief, which really affects the whole story arc and the concept of a climax.
Other characters that struggled to make much sense were the Nasa officials, who come off as caricatures of Americans. As Hwang is about to perish, it begs the question of whether the American space agency would really refuse to save an astronaut running out of oxygen if they had the capacity to do so.
Overall, The Moon was a spirited attempt to deliver a message about human nature and teamwork, but the execution could have been better. Nonetheless, it is still worth a watch solely because of the visuals and soundtrack.