Michael Pare FTW!
It is 2038. The earth is seemingly doomed. This has lead to humanity being spread through the galaxy. With no clear boundaries separating nations any longer, large corporations have taken charge #bless , with various planets and moons to be fought over.
With many apparently secure moons recently having been lost, the Company covets the catchily titled Moon 44, fearing it’s loss might mean a domino effect which leaves all other floating moon rocks vulnerable.
The problem with staffing doomed areas, is that no one wants to be next in line to take a beating. The usual staff are running short, and with no volunteers the Company forcibly conscripts prisoners, with the promise of freedom being attached to survival and victory – both of which seem extremely unlikely.
But the Company isn’t finished there. There is suspicion that not all staff are truly loyal, so Stone (Michael Pare) is sent in posing undercover as one of the criminals, with the goal of rooting out the traitors.
Once on the moon the crims get a crash course in piloting the small model planes that we will see awkwardly fly down ravines and across mountains again and again. Each pilot is teamed with a young boy who acts as the home base navigator, all of whom seem smart arsed and ill prepared.
The resentment and threat of violence from the criminal element, coupled with the control and reliance on the young lads, creates some tension and the threat of real harm to both parties. And to cap things off there is also an over the top domineering drill sergeant type constantly yelling and spewing vitriol at those he is supposed to be leading.
Michael Pare appeared set to carve a niche in the b grade movie scene in the 90s, or maybe it was just that the preview for this film appeared on enough videos that I got that impression. Whatever the reality, Pare never took his chance, something which should be no surprise given his lack of charisma and apparent talent. He remained the Taylor Kitsch of the 90s.
Similarly Moon 44 is an unremarkable and unpretentious effort. Don’t expect huge space battles and high tech inventiveness, we mostly get the aforementioned repetitious miniatures and the base’s dark steamy hallways that look like discards from Aliens.
Final Rating – 6 / 10. This might be an earnest effort and a competent 90s low budget sci-fi film, but is quite obvious as to why there was no Moon 45…
