Moon
Sam Bell has a three year contract to work for Lunar Industries. For the contract's entire duration, he is the sole employee based at their lunar station. His primary job responsibility is to harvest and periodically rocket back to Earth supplies of helium-3, the current clean and abundant fuel used on Earth. There is no direct communication link available between the lunar station and Earth, so his only direct real-time interaction is with GERTY, the intelligent computer whose function is to attend to his day to day needs. With such little human contact and all of it indirect, he feels that three years is far too long to be so isolated; he knows he is beginning to hallucinate as the end of his three years approaches. All he wants is to return to Earth to be with his wife Tess and their infant daughter Eve, who was born just prior to his leaving for this job. With two weeks to go, he gets into an accident at one of the mechanical harvesters and is rendered unconscious. Injured, he awakens back at the station in the infirmary, he assumes assisted by GERTY. GERTY tells him that a rescue team named Eliza will come to the station to clean up the aftermath of the accident. After his recuperation, he takes an unauthorized trip back to the broken harvester, where he makes an unexpected discovery. Because of his find, he begins to doubt his sanity, then his true identity, then the company and GERTY's willingness to do what is best for him. Because of his resulting beliefs, his sole mission becomes how to get back to Earth on his own.
Working with a tight budget of $5.0M, the film achieved a steady performer with $9.8M in global revenue (+95% profit margin).
1 BAFTA Award28 wins & 37 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Moon (2009) exhibits strategically placed narrative architecture, characteristic of Duncan Jones's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 37 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Sam Bell tends to his solitary routine on the lunar base, carving wood models and counting down the final two weeks of his three-year contract mining helium-3. His only companion is GERTY, the AI assistant, as he dreams of returning home to his wife Tess and daughter Eve.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Sam crashes his lunar rover after experiencing a vivid hallucination of the young woman while checking on a malfunctioning harvester. He loses consciousness in the accident, triggering the central mystery of the film.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Sam discovers himself—another Sam—injured and unconscious in the crashed rover. He brings his double back to the base, crossing into a reality where nothing he believed about himself is true., moving from reaction to action.
At 49 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat The older Sam watches a video message revealing the truth: the original Sam Bell is alive on Earth, the lunar contract was a lie, and all clones are disposable tools created with false memories. Everything both Sams believed about their lives and identities is a fabrication., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 72 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Older Sam collapses, hemorrhaging and dying. He accepts his mortality with quiet dignity, having found meaning in saving his successor. The whiff of death is literal—he is dying, and with him dies the illusion that their lives were ever meant to matter to Lunar Industries., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 78 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Newer Sam executes the escape plan, jamming communications and launching himself toward Earth inside a helium-3 carrier. A fresh clone awakens to begin a new cycle, unaware of the truth. Sam's testimony reaches Earth, and news reports reveal the Lunar Industries scandal., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Moon's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Moon against these established plot points, we can identify how Duncan Jones utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Moon within the drama genre.
Duncan Jones's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Duncan Jones films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Moon represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Duncan Jones filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Duncan Jones analyses, see Source Code.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Sam Bell tends to his solitary routine on the lunar base, carving wood models and counting down the final two weeks of his three-year contract mining helium-3. His only companion is GERTY, the AI assistant, as he dreams of returning home to his wife Tess and daughter Eve.
Theme
GERTY tells Sam, "I'm here to keep you safe," establishing the theme of what it means to be human, to have agency, and whether artificial or corporate systems truly serve individual welfare or merely maintain control.
Worldbuilding
Sam's isolated existence on the moon is established: his deteriorating health, hallucinations of a young woman, communication blackouts with Earth, recorded messages from his wife, and the monotonous routine of harvesting helium-3. We see his loneliness, physical decline, and desperate longing to go home.
Disruption
Sam crashes his lunar rover after experiencing a vivid hallucination of the young woman while checking on a malfunctioning harvester. He loses consciousness in the accident, triggering the central mystery of the film.
Resistance
Sam wakes up in the infirmary with no memory of the accident. GERTY tells him rescue teams retrieved him and he must stay inside to recover. Sam grows suspicious when GERTY acts evasively and he notices inconsistencies. He secretly ventures outside against orders.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Sam discovers himself—another Sam—injured and unconscious in the crashed rover. He brings his double back to the base, crossing into a reality where nothing he believed about himself is true.
Mirror World
The two Sams confront each other in anger and confusion, each believing he is the real Sam Bell. This relationship becomes the thematic core—both are real, both are human, both matter, forcing examination of what defines individual identity and worth.
Premise
The two Sams investigate their situation, discovering they are clones with implanted memories. They find a secret vault filled with hundreds of hibernating clones and learn that Lunar Industries disposes of clones at the end of each three-year cycle. The older Sam is dying, while the newer Sam struggles with the truth.
Midpoint
The older Sam watches a video message revealing the truth: the original Sam Bell is alive on Earth, the lunar contract was a lie, and all clones are disposable tools created with false memories. Everything both Sams believed about their lives and identities is a fabrication.
Opposition
The Sams argue about what to do—older Sam wants to help newer Sam escape to Earth while he accepts his death; newer Sam resists. Lunar Industries sends the Eliza rescue team to repair communications and retrieve the crashed rover. The clones must work together to deceive the corporation while older Sam's health rapidly deteriorates.
Collapse
Older Sam collapses, hemorrhaging and dying. He accepts his mortality with quiet dignity, having found meaning in saving his successor. The whiff of death is literal—he is dying, and with him dies the illusion that their lives were ever meant to matter to Lunar Industries.
Crisis
Older Sam spends his final hours helping newer Sam prepare to escape. They share quiet moments of connection, with GERTY proving unexpectedly loyal to both. Older Sam records testimony about the clone exploitation to send to Earth with his successor.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Newer Sam executes the escape plan, jamming communications and launching himself toward Earth inside a helium-3 carrier. A fresh clone awakens to begin a new cycle, unaware of the truth. Sam's testimony reaches Earth, and news reports reveal the Lunar Industries scandal.