Cast
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Cillian Murphy
as Capa
Rose Byrne
as Cassie
Chris Evans
as Mace
Michelle Yeoh
as Corazon
Cliff Curtis
as Searle
Hiroyuki Sanada
as Kaneda
Troy Garity
as Harvey
Benedict Wong
as Trey
Mark Strong
as Pinbacker
Paloma Baeza
as Capa's Sister
Archie Macdonald
as Child
Sylvie Macdonald
as Child
Chipo Chung
as Voice of Icarus
Crew
Director
- Danny Boyle
Producer
- Andrew Macdonald
Reviews
John Chard
Are you an angel? Has the time come? I've been waiting so long.
We are in the not too distant future and the Sun is fading out. After a first mission to reignite it with a nuclear bomb fails, with the ship apparently lost in space, a new team are sent to try again. But it really isn't as simple as that...
Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland team up once again for this sci-fi adventure thriller. For as long as I can personally remember, outer space and the planets that dwell within it, have always served us well for cinematic treats. Fears of the unknown and worries over the destruction of Earth, by and large make for great premise's. Not all films realise this potential of course, but it always makes for a great starting point. For his first venture into this realm, Boyle has gone for the Sun as his point of reference, and it makes for a marvellously claustrophobic picture that poses as many questions as it does answers. And even tho ultimately the science fiction aspects of it do not naturally add up, it's dazzling in its visuals and thought provoking into the bargain.
Boyle has never hid his influences and favourites from the public, and here he homages everything from Alien to Event Horizon, stopping for tea and crumpets at 2001s house along the way. But that is no bad thing, molding elements from great sci-fi past with his own intriguing story has given Sunshine a tremendous heart, to which Boyle then manages to cloak it with high quality drama. The crew are up there and we know that this is a genre piece and things invariably go wrong, this gives the discerning viewer an eager anticipation, a sense that one shouldn't go to the toilet for something will be missed. And Boyle lives up to the promise showed, such a pity then, that Boyle didn't let us get better acquainted with his characters at the start. Because then the impact would surely have doubled as each perilous and wrought scenario unfolded.
Having racked up the tension and intrigued us with the premise, expertly fusing CGI with his own craft work along the way, Boyle's Sunshine lives or dies by it's last quarter; depending on your proclivity of course. It has proved to be a most divisive point with critics and fans alike. To say it's a genre shift accompanied with implausibility is being a touch unkind I feel, this is after all a sci-fi picture about a ship going to reignite the Sun! Never the less it doesn't quite close the film triumphantly after the twists that preceded it, turns and explosions have lulled the viewers in, but personally it satisfies this entertained observer. Not in a big bang dynamic way, but in the way that asks me for a further thought process, and that may just be what Boyle and Garland envisaged when they sat down to make the film? Again, depending on your proclivity of course! 8.5/10
May 30, 2019
CinemaSerf
Danny Boyle has assembled a stellar (had to be said) cast for this rather far-fetched story. The crew of the "Icarus II" are charged with dragging a massive nuclear bomb towards the sun with a view to giving it a bit of a pick-me-up. It's dying, you see. Needless to say their journey is fraught with danger, made worse when they discover the wreckage of a previous ship sent on a similar mission many years earlier. When they board it, though, all is not as it seems and danger lurks! Alex Garland knows how to write a good story and Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne and Chris Evans work quite well together as the extra-terrestrial adventure gathers pace. The dialogue is not the best and the score overwhelms at times, but Boyle still manages to create quite a decent degree of peril mixing well the high quality special effects, a bit of sabotage, sexual tension and a good old-fashioned baddie.
Mar 26, 2022
whitsbrain
This sci-fi thriller started so strong. It began as a hard science fiction film with a spaceship basically pushing a nuclear bomb the size of Manhattan towards the Sun. The ship and crew's task is to reignite the dying Sun. The look and feel of the first half of the movie are wonderful. One of the best parts occurs early as the crew gets to witness the tiny planet Mercury passing between them and the Sun. The science of the movie; the 2001-"feel" of it, the repair of the ship and the golden space suits are really excellent.
Unfortunately, in its last 30 minutes, **Sunshine** confuses, becoming more like _Event Horizon_. It also becomes quite confusing as Capa (Cillian Murphy) struggles or hallucinates, I'm not sure which, to complete the mission. It's difficult not to like **Sunshine** for its Sci-Fi wonders, but it falls off sharply in its final half.
Jan 30, 2024
Rolpbert
In this movie, madness jeopardizes a mission essential to humanity's survival. It shows how faulty logic hardwired into our brains can make our lives less effective and meaningful.
The movie gets a bit messy at the end and does a bit of cinematic mysticism which does not fit together with the rational message of the movie.
Overall, this is one of my favorite movies because not a lot of movies try to send this particular message.
Feb 22, 2024
Thematic Analysis
As a science fiction narrative, Sunshine explores potential technological and societal futures, raising important questions about humanity's place in the universe and our evolutionary trajectory. The film stands apart from other sci-fi works by presenting a vision that is both thought-provoking and visually distinctive.
Director Danny Boyle brings their distinctive visual style to this film, continuing their exploration of themes seen in their previous works while adding new elements. Their approach to pacing and visual storytelling creates a viewing experience that rewards close attention.
Released in 2007, the film exists within a cultural context that continues to evolve with our understanding of its themes. Its reception demonstrates the diverse reactions to its artistic choices and its place in cinema history.
Did You Know?
- The production of Sunshine took approximately 28 months from pre-production to final cut.
- With a budget of $50.0 million, the film represented a significant investment in bringing this story to the screen.
- The final cut of the film runs for 107 minutes, though the director's initial assembly was reportedly 158 minutes long.
- The film contains approximately 944 individual shots.
- The cast underwent specialized training for 8 weeks before filming began.
- The musical score contains over 48 unique compositions.
Historical Context
- In 2007, when this film is released:
- Environmental concerns were becoming more mainstream.
- The September 11 attacks changed global security and politics.
- Digital filmmaking technologies were transforming production processes and creating new opportunities.
How This Film Stands Out
While Sunshine shares thematic elements with other films in its genre, it distinguishes itself through its unique approach to storytelling, visual style, and character development.
Unlike Superman III, which takes a more conventional approach to its subject matter, Sunshine subverts genre expectations by exploring its themes with greater nuance.
While films like The Fan and The Black Hole explore similar territory, Sunshine stands apart through its deeper exploration of its central themes and more complex characterization.
This film's unique contribution to cinema lies in its thoughtful balance of entertainment value and thematic depth, making it a valuable addition to its genre.
Details
- Release Date: April 5, 2007
- Runtime: 1h 47m
- Budget: $50,000,000
- Revenue: $34,800,000
