Moonfall is rip-roaring entertainment propelled by an excellent premise and outstanding visual effects. Topics such as cover-ups, conspiracy theories, the potential dangers of artificial intelligence and megastructures add dimension to the backstory. While the scientific details are sometimes inaccurate and often beyond the ken of most laypeople, these do not significantly detract from what is in essence a superior disaster film.

The story begins ten years in the past when a shuttle is servicing a satellite. Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson) and a colleague are outside doing the repairs. Jocinda “Jo” Fowler (Halle Berry) is inside the spacecraft when her electrical circuits are disabled. Brian sees an amorphous dark blob coming at them. Chaos ensues as the object attacks. The other astronaut is spun off to meet his fate in the silent void of space. Somehow Brian is able to land the powerless shuttle to save himself and Jo.

The movie then proceeds to Brian’s young son Sonny watching a video clip of his father’s hearing before NASA. Brian’s story of the blob is discounted (Jo was unconscious in the shuttle and did not see it to corroborate). He is drummed out of NASA.

Ten years into the future, megastructurist K.C. Houseman (John Bradley), working as a janitor, hacks a professor’s PC to access information that shows that the moon’s orbit is deteriorating. He brings the data to a now down-on-his-luck Brian, who of course doesn’t believe him.

Independently, NASA’s data leads to the same conclusion. Since no one would believe K.C., he has released his data on social media. Worldwide disruption occurs as people riot in preparation for the end times.

Brian’s now grown child Sonny (Charlie Plummer) gets arrested for leading police on a high-speed chase with a car full of illicit substances. At his court appearance, Brian only makes things worse. His son is denied bail and stuck in jail just as the courts are closing due to the end of the world.

Jo ends up becoming the head of NASA as officials flee. Brian’s ex-wife Brenda Lopez (Carolina Bartczak), now married to auto dealer Tom Lopez (Michael Pena), is about to flee to Aspen, Colorado, and begs Brian to free Sonny.

Meanwhile the generals are planning to send nukes to the moon to destroy it, despite the risk of nuclear fallout since the moon is so close. Jo wants to send a space probe. However, the space probe astronauts meet a gruesome fate and there are no other spacecraft left.

Jo is forced to use a space shuttle from a museum for her next planned mission. She recruits the angry Brian, now accompanied by K.C., to join her on the flight.

As all of this is happening, the moon gets closer and closer. Major tidal inflows wreck cities and kill people. This is just the beginning of catastrophes, beautifully staged, to come.

Will the moon reveal its secrets? Can Jo and Brian, now heading to the moon with K.C., in a museum piece save the day? What will be the fates of the Lopez family, Jo’s family, and the now-freed Sonny?

The production notes make a case for the scientific research that went into the dynamics of the moon’s collision with earth. On the other hand, cell phones were working when there likely were no more standing towers, so there is that. This truly is the type of movie where you either buy into the suspension of disbelief or you don’t. For me, I was thoroughly engaged by the mysteries that were unfolding, the characters and the visual effects.

To avoid giving spoilers, I cannot delve into what is discovered in the picture about the moon itself. But I can reveal that it involves the 2-minutes of radio silence of Apollo 11. Conspiracy theories abound. One issue the film does raise, although it is moot since the world is ending, is what would happen if there was some truth to such a theory.

The role of artificial intelligence in organic entities’ lives and its potential malignancy is another pertinent theme. I will never forget as a child watching “Colossus: the Forbin Project” on TV as it gave me nightmares for weeks about people being enslaved by machines. So this is not a new discussion, but I always am intrigued by its iterations in popular culture.

The visual effects were top-notch, although you would expect that from director Roland Emmerich (2012, Independence Day, The Day after Tomorrow). Audiences will not feel cheated. The flooding scenes are an homage to the effects that climate change is likely to wreak on the coasts in the long term. The space effects and those on the moon are very good as are meteors striking earth. Basically, you get to see civilization being destroyed.

The acting was very good. Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson are renowned actors who are masters at their craft. John Bradley, from “Game of Thrones,” gives necessary comic relief and holds his own against the better-known cast. Donald Sutherland has a brief scene in the film, which made me wonder how much he gets paid for a short gig. He of course is superb in his brief cameo.

According to the production notes, NASA was on board for this project. An ex-astronaut was around to give instruction about shuttle buttons and the like.

Spoilers again prevent me from discussing the details of the wonderful set design. Suffice to say, I was satisfied.

The movie is rated PG-13, because after years of potential annihilation, the end of the world in and of itself is not frightening enough to be an “R” rating. The film has no real gore or blood to speak of, and so is safe for older children. Younger children might have nightmares if they see this film.

This will not go down in history as a masterwork of cinema. But I can tell you that it is an entirely engaging thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Four out of five stars

A mysterious force knocks the Moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we know it. With mere weeks before impact and the world on the brink of annihilation, NASA executive and former astronaut Jo Fowler (Academy Award® winner Halle Berry) is convinced she has the key to saving us all – but only one astronaut from her past, Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson, “Midway”) and a conspiracy theorist K.C. Houseman (John Bradley, “Game of Thrones”) believes her. These unlikely heroes will mount an impossible last-ditch mission into space, leaving behind everyone they love, only to find out that our Moon is not what we think it is.

Starring: Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Michael Peña, Charlie Plummer, Kelly Yu, Eme Ikwuakor, Carolina Bartczak, and Donald Sutherland
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Written by Roland Emmerich & Harald Kloser & Spenser Cohen

https://moonfall.movie/
Twitter: @MoonfallFilm
Facebook: @MoonfallFilm
Instagram: @MoonfallFilm
Hashtag: #Moonfall