Sunshine (2007)

 Just Okay
I bought this and Full Circle at the same time, I guess I was in a martial arts mood. I just couldnt get into this movie, it was so unrealistic and cheesy even for a movie! I loved Full Circle alot thank God, so it made up for it. May 8, 2008

 Almost but not quite....
This is a survivalist story set in space, which just so happens to have a quiet fate-of-the-earth-depends-on-you as its primary drive behind all the scenes.

The Pro's: This is a movie to watch when in a somber sci-fi mood, but wanting a little dramatic eye candy. There is no fat in the story despite the slow pace, starting strongly with a prologue to drop the viewer immediately into the storyline. The characters seem initially standard, but quickly move to a more thoughtful friction between survivalist tactics versus human ethics. The actors are excellent throughout. You've seen it all before in other movies, but not nearly so subtly presented. Maybe too subtle....

The Con's: See all the other reviews - It is a little too slow paced. The insane Captain of the first ship is annoying to watch and unbelieveable in every way; his role ruins what could have been a great plot in some other form. I still can't figure out 1.) How he survived 7 yrs on a ship behind Mercury when the flight controls were busted 2.) No one smelled him coming since it was clear he hadn't taken a shower in a while 3.) How he survived being burned/heavily irradiated, stabbed...only to have his skin ripped off toward the end. And what was with all the dust on the Icarus I in the first place - manna from heaven? A burned flight crew couldn't have made all that.

All right, I think I've ranted enough. In summary, this is a rental film, not a buy, good for a night when you want to fold laundry or review papers with something on in the background. May 8, 2008

 Spoilers Below
Sunshine seems to have been created as part of a contest to see how many genres a director could fit in one movie. It's got its summer blockbuster special effects, its sci-fi atmospheric thriller moments, and even some slasher horror bits thrown in.

If only Sunshine's director Danny Boyle could pick one and stick with it, the movie could have been really good. As it is, though, Sunshine is a jumble. A really good-looking jumble.

The movie starts with such promise. It has a cool back story and enough science to satisfy and facilitate the suspension of disbelief. (The premise, and this is not a spoiler, is that Earth is slipping into an Ice Age due to a weakening and eventual extinguishing of the Sun. Eight astronauts are sent on a rescue mission to create a supernova of sorts -- to set off an explosion in the Sun and create a new star).

The beginning visuals are quite stunning, especially on a nice TV. There are frequent shots of the Sun, Mercury, and the outside of the spacecraft. And while the ship is cool to explore, the viewer begins to get a sense of dread. This is when the movie launches into its atmospheric thriller mode.

Something about space lends itself to the atmosphere of dread. Of course Alien is the standard most atmospheres are compared to, but this movie also reminded me of Descent. It must be the closed-off nature of space (and caves). Again, Sunshine succeeds. I was getting edgy watching by myself. The first time you see a subliminal image, yes, it really is there. I rewound frame-by-frame to see what the picture was, the whole time feeling like I was in a thriller myself, about to be shocked by the horror this freeze frame would contain.

This sense of dread is multiplied a hundred times when the crew is forced to investigate an abandoned spacecraft (the original mission that mysteriously failed seven years prior). I was fully prepared to be creeped out -- not startled by GOTCHA! horror. And that's where the movie begins to fall apart. All of a sudden, it turns into almost a slasher movie, complete with chases through dark hallways and stabbings.

From this point on, the movie spirals a bit out of control, although not terribly so. Chase scenes are interspliced with stop-action blurry shots of who-knows-what. The movie eventually paints itself into an ending you knew was coming, and one that leaves no room for a twist. It is a shame the movie becomes so muddled, because it had a chance to be an absolutely great sci-fi flick. (Something that The Core, for example, gave up two minutes into the film).

Sunshine is worth a see. Just don't expect too much.

Sunshine Rating: 75 / 100
Subratings
Soundtrack: 8 / 10 (surprisingly good, but one of the stranger choices for the end credits)
Acting: 7 / 10 (never felt very attached or invested in any characters, though they are forced to make some tough choices)
Sci-Fi Backstory: 7 / 10 (whole lot better than The Day After Tomorrow) May 6, 2008

 A rich, but flawed sci-fi tale...
I just recently watched "Sunshine" on DVD and didn't know what to immediately expect. I like Danny Boyle's previous work so I knew that carried a little weight when deciding whether to pick it up.

I won't go so far and say I'm a sci-fi "geek". I do like sci-fi up to a certain point. I love "Alien" and "Aliens". I love "Event Horizon". Hell, I can even put up with "2001: A Space Odyssey" if I have enough LSD running through my veins. So explaining that and knowing that I don't have a degree in science fiction physics (as apparently some of the fanboys here do), I can honestly say my disbelief was suspended and I enjoyed the reasons the crew of the Icarus II had for journeying to the sun.

"Sunshine" does not build up with pre-launch shots of them back on Earth. Instead, a soothing voice tells us that the earth is freezing and what the crew's mission is. Good enough for government work I say! While the characters do lack a bit of flesh (figuratively), it still does not detract from the fact that I latched on to a couple and was disappointed when they were killed.

There were flaws of course. One of the bigger ones was knowing that when the oxygen garden flared up and was destroyed, I knew immediately that none of the crew would ever make it back to Earth. Occasionally little glimpses of hope showed. For example the fully functional oxygen garden on Icarus I or the little plant found growing in the ruins of Icarus II. These were quickly snuffed as just when things look like they will go right, they just as quickly go wrong. So before we are even halfway in, we know this crew is doomed. Of course that makes you think as well about facing your own death much sooner than your biological clock thought which is one of the things I liked. So I guess it's kind of a love/hate thing going on with me on this point.

Another flaw was the introduction of this psychotic, burned up ship captain of the Icarus I who shows up 2/3 of the way in. The movie jumped into cliched horror movie mode and visions of "Event Horizon" floated before my eyes. While not a fast-paced film (until the last third of course), I wonder at the screenwriter's choice of including this element to the screenplay. It threw off the rest of the story in my opinion and turned an interesting, intelligent sci-fi picture into a slasher flick.

I did enjoy "Sunshine" and I would recommend seeing it despite the flaws. It's pretty to look at, creates a great since of claustrophobia laced with a sense of awe at the raw power of the sun, and builds upon deep seated fears humans have about life and death. May 5, 2008

 Not just another sunny day
What would happen if you combined themes / motifs from movies like 2001 - A Space Odyssey (Two-Disc Special Edition), Event Horizon and Alien (The Director's Cut)? Well, the film might look something like SUNSHINE.

The plot is that some 50 yrs in the future (or so) the sun is dying. This, of course, leaves the earth as a freezing block of ice (kinda like what's foretold in the Viking legends of eschatology / the end-of-the-world). A brave crew is embarked on a journey to "jump start" the sun so it can continue on @ least a few more million yrs. Needless to say, the very future of life on earth is at stake.

The ship, we find out, is actually the 2nd attempt at accomplishing this mission. The first ship disappeared w/out a trace after getting close to the sun. If you're keeping score @ home, there is an avenue for a subplot here! The mission leads to the astronauts having to face a series of heart-wrenching ethical decisions that they must deal with in order to accomplish their task.

If you're into sci-fi flicks, this one is certainly worth giving a look to. It's not really the kind of science fiction flick that's bound to attract very many people who aren't into sci-fi, but that's OK. Just one thing if you decide to pick up this DVD: be sure to put your sunglasses on before you begin watching it. Things are gonna get hot! May 4, 2008

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