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Sunshine [2007]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

You can never accuse director Danny Boyle of lacking ambition. Sunshine sees one of Britain’s most successful directors switching genre once more, as he tackles this gripping science fiction flick about a quest to re-ignite the dying sun. And he nails it, too, adding another plus to a CV that’s already covered a kids' film (Millions), a big Hollywood blockbuster (The Beach), horror (28 Days Later), and a pair of British classics (Trainspotting and Shallow Grave).

Bursting out of the gate at a terrific pace, Sunshine then doesn’t take its foot off the accelerator for much of its near-two hour running time. Set around the crew of the Icarus II who find themselves on a life-saving mission, things soon start going awry, and while you’ll find no plot spoilers here, Boyle proves a dab hand at ratcheting up tension on the way to the big finale.

If anything, it’s the finale to Sunshine that does let the side down, not quite living up to the standard of what preceded it. But such is the strength of the ride to that point that it’s hard to complain. Especially when the cast, led by the always-magnetic Cillian Murphy, put in believable performances and get heavily into the spirit of the film.

Topped off with cracking effects that belie its modest budget, Sunshine is a real treat, not just for sci-fi fans, but for anyone who likes a strong, tense, thrilling night in front of a movie. --Jon Foster


Contender for the worst movie of all time.
Review date: 2008-11-14 Rating: 2 out of 10

It's a pity but this film doe's not live up to expectations.It is nothing but a montage of scenes tacked together without rhyme or reason,mixed with stupid camera tricks.Some of the directors of today seem to use this approach when they lack talent or fresh ideas.All in all, one of the top three worst movies of all time.I gave it one star only because the synopsis had potential(until they actually made the film).

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Reviews


Tragic!
Review date: 2008-11-01 Rating: 4 out of 10

Why Did I sit through this drivel?The review said ALIEN for the 21ST century.Well we certainly didn't get that!Had it been like ALIEN I would have loved it but it wasn't.Watch out fot the sequence where they go to the dark side of Mercury it looks like a poster of craters stuck to the window!!Thank god Alien was made in the 20th century!Rent this if you must.

Criminally underrated - a really different take on a sci-fi film
Review date: 2008-10-30 Rating: 10 out of 10

Maybe after the rush of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later people had false expectations of Sunshine. If you're looking for yet another generic, fiercely pro-American space-explosion countdown-to-disaster alienfest, you'll be disappointed. If you're looking for a beautifully shot, thought-provoking, understated science fiction film with an ambient soundtrack and intriguing characters, you're in the right place. This is without a doubt one of my favourite science fiction films, namely because it's quite different from the rest of the pack.

Sunshine is set in a future where the sun has started to die. We have the technology to restart it, and sent a mission called Icarus to save it, but it failed. Now it's the turn of Icarus II to complete the journey. On board the ship are young and brilliant scientists, physicists and a psychologist, and they are towing the "payload", a large nuclear reaction device that they must both deposit and activate within the sun itself.

On their way past Mercury they pick up a distress signal from Icarus I, and decide to investigate, thinking that they can combine both the payloads to ensure a greater chance of success in restarting the sun.

Usually in this kind of genre, there would be heavy emphasis on the "heroes going to save America and the world", and oodles of patriotism. Not so here. Every character is quietly accepting of their fate, and the messages they send home are poignant and intimate, there are no rising trombone or violin crescendos or anything resembling Deep Impact.
There is no bravado, or overly-sentimental solemn oaths - the scientists just do their jobs, prioritising everything accordingly, including their lives. After all, their own lives mean nothing when compared to the entire human race.
There is a particularly interesting scene when four of the characters are stranded in an airlock and there is only one spacesuit - which two of them automatically give to Kaplain, since he is the only one who knows how to activate the payload.

The acting is superb, with such stars as Cillian Murphy and Michelle Yeoh. The music is also soft and atmospheric, much like in 28 Days Later.

There is a slightly supernatural element to the film which might put some people off, although Boyle maintains it was intentional, since the sun seems to be a supernatural being in itself to an extent. There are also some Event Horizon influences - although nowhere near as nasty - which people may or may not take to.

Despite the story being dark in many places, I thought this was a beautiful film and a testament to the strength of the human spirit, and without being sentimental in any way. Boyle allows the viewer to come to this conclusion, and doesn't ram it down their throat.

This is not for the action addict. This is for someone who wants more out of a science fiction film than explosions and super-fast spaceships. A must-see.

Disappointing Missed Opportunity
Review date: 2008-10-21 Rating: 2 out of 10

Sunshine...yeah, not so impressed with this movie. For something so possibly bright, it was just so very, very dull. The basic idea about being the last best hope for mankind off on an extended trip through space to drop a bomb in their dying sun was a good one. Unfortunately they don't do anything worthwhile with it!

The special effects were fine and we got a nice sense of grandeur in space beside a big whopping dying star. However, there was no sense of comradeship between the characters or actual development about them at all. (Well, none that I could see anyway.) If anything they seemed more hollow and vacuous than what was outside their airlock. Oh sure, they butted heads and had to contend with some typical sacrifices for the greater good dilemmas. But I found myself not really caring.

There was a nice bit about how deliberately bathing in the light of the sun was almost like a religious experience that eventually could provoke madness. But by the time the 'shocking' twist dragged itself into the movie, I was thinking I'd much rather be watching 'Event Horizon' which was a hell of a lot better and had people I actually gave a crap for. I also didn't appreciate the cameraman playing silly buggers with the blurry shimmery arty farty focus. It totally ruined a woefully predictable but passable climax. All in all this movie was a disappointing missed opportunity.

My new favourite film.
Review date: 2008-09-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

I love this film, it's everything I want in a movie and it's shot so well. Don't watch this film if you're going to analyse every last scientific detail, I don't think people who do that enjoy films all that much anyway to be fair. Good characterisations, although one or 2 do seem to be missed out. A damn good sci-fi film, you get a real feel of isolation (as has been mentioned before) a lot like in Alien.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Michelle Yeoh
Chris Evans
Troy Garity
Rose Byrne
Cliff Curtis

Creators:
Rose Byrne (Primary Contributor)
Cliff Curtis (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036034623
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2007-08-27
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 107 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007
Language: English (Original Language)

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