Review: Moon Man
An animated fable brilliant in its
simplicity
20.10.2012 - Stephan Schesch invites us to the
vibrant and imaginative world of Moon Man, a stunning,
colourful tale based on the much-loved children's book by
Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer. Schesch follows his animated film
The Three Robbers (2007, also an Ungerer adaptation) with
this beautifully made 2-D animation, employing the genius of Irish
production company Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of the
Kells, 2009). With their help, the brilliance of Schesch's
work transcends through the simplicity and effortlessness of his
drawings. That simplicity enchances a story that is about
believing, a tale of unexpected friendship that is forged between
its characters that unite for the greater good.
Our tale begins with a bored and jaded Moon Man, who looks at
Earth with a distant gaze. Soon he amazed and mesmerized with what
he sees. Inspired he decides it's time for a new adventure - it's
time to explore this thrilling and exciting place. Riding the tail
of a comet, he lands on Earth with eagerness and enthusiasm,
exploring all the wonders he has never seen before, smelling
flowers and appreciating the wonderful creatures. Meanwhile on
Earth the President proudly talks to his people about how he was
able to conquer the last panhandle on Earth. With Earth subdued,
the President turns his conquerers' gaze towards the moon. But Moon
Man's arrival causes a commotion, and the President becomes certain
that his planet is being invaded by aliens, sending his troops on a
quest to find these intruders, putting Moon Man at risk. Then
again, he is not alone - he ends up getting help from Herr
Professor Doktor Bunsen van der Dunkel. In his hands lies the
invention that will take Moon man safely to his home on the moon,
away from the President and his soldiers.
Moon Man is not only a tribute to how simplicity in art
and film can be a great thing, but in a larger sense it
demonstrates that innocence has become a virtue that we've all come
to take for granted. Watching Moon Man reminds me of the
innocence of childhood, the one we sadly say goodbye to as we grow
older.
Moon Man screens at VOX cinemas on Saturday 20 October at 6:30
pm.
Karolina Abbas