I recently saw ‘Moon’, the debut film by Duncan ‘Zowie Bowie’ Jones; an impressive claustrophobic space drama even if it did remind me of a lot of other space films from the past thirty years. This might be an unfair judgment though as it got me thinking; there’s only so much stuff that can happen to people in space, and it’s these limitations that makes us more nerdy people love films like this.

Space films exist in a vacuum. Not just in the sense that they’re set in a vast expanse with no air but that their storylines exist in a hermetically sealed environment where nothing can affect the characters. In each one astronauts blast off from the messy land of Earth, where variable, unquantifiable things like ‘happiness’ and ‘love’ live, into the great ether where Science and Maths are king.

In Alien, 2001, Apollo 13 and many many others, we know that space travelers have limited oxygen with which to breath. They float about as there’s no gravity, and if they do so out of the confines of their ship they will continue doing so infinitely. They have limited food and fuel. Nerds love these films because they’re comfortable with stories that rely purely on rational forces as contributing narrative forces. If the main protagonist runs out of air, Nerd A had noted the suggestion in the opening scene that his suit was faulty. When the minor crew member expends all remaining fuel in a desperate lone mission for possible survivors in Act 2 Nerd B remembers that Mission Control didn’t account for such bravery in Act 1 and that everyone is going to die.

We love these films because what they don’t account for is the immeasurable, less scientific aspects of a lone space pilots life. All it takes is for any unexpected factor to appear, be it other space people or an alien being, and your nerd is as excited and confused as that time a girl joined their science club.

Romantic films have potentially infinite plot variations, and to watch one directly after a space based film is a very confusing experience. The main protagonist purchased the specific type of flowers Main Love Interest A expressed interest in, so why does she leave him for Love Rat C just because he’s more extravagant (and less energy efficient) at love making in Act 3? Why does Love Interest B not fall for him when he’s obviously so committed that he’s followed her home? Confusing, possibly unethical stuff.

In Science Fiction it’s this random element of human interaction that is the uncontrollable substance in an otherwise perfect experiment. It’s like someone added reproductive fluids to the already volatile product of Mentos and Diet Coke and created something even more explosive and dangerous. Suddenly it’s all gone Weird Science, and nerds everywhere are adjusting their glasses at they get their first glimpse of the unexplainable.

It’s not just the sexual confusion though. Terminator 2 and Aliens are amazing examples of the conflicting result of Science Fiction vs Family Drama (one of few acceptable uses of the horrid sub-genre of ‘Vs’ movies… I’m looking at you Predator). Both took their more adult orientated originals and added more human worries in order to create a more rounded sequel. Sarah and Ripley were oh-so vulnerable in Aliens and Terminator (which I have to admit would make an awesome cross-over) but it was their relationship with their children that resulted in what many people think are the better films. The need to escape a giant terrifying monster is one thing, but the need to protect someone else from it to the risk of your own life is quite out of the ordinary to the genre’s typical viewer.

So, to reiterate. Moon is good, but not amazing. It  sticks to a rigid enough Sci-Fi code to make the surprises it pulls exceed the expectations of it’s likely audience.

Oh, and Event Horizon was shit because the random external element was ‘they went to Hell’. Yeah, brilliant. Like that’s a genre mix anyone wanted. The logical world of space mixed with the religious notion of Hell is far too abstract and other worldly for you to relate to the danger that any of the characters could be in. For starters, if there’s a hell, I’m sure there are unicorns nearby in Heaven. Why not just get them to whisk you away from the Hellship? Sam Neill, I don’t care how awesome you were escaping from Velociraptors, this film was garbage and I want my £6.50 (£11.50 inflated to modern prices) back. Or if we’re dealing in terms Event Horizon understands, I’d like some Leprechauns gold and a jug of angel tears.