Movie Review: Sunshine
Published April 28, 2008
When Sunshine came out in theaters last summer, the previews presented it as a big sci-fi action movie. The trailers piqued my interest; it seemed like it could be one of those rare action movies with a brain. The movie is not that. It is not a mindless action film either. Part of the problem is the movie does not know what it wants to be. Ultimately, it comes down to another interesting premise wasted.
The interesting premise is that the sun is dying, and a group of astronauts is sent to revive it. Their mission is to drop a nuclear bomb to restart it.They fly on the Icarus II, a spaceship with highly advanced AI with which they hold conversations. The character we follow throughout most of the movie is Capa, played by Cillian Murphy. He is the mission's physicist, and as such is the most important member of the crew because he is only one who can make the calculations for the bomb-drop.
For about the first half hour of the movie, nothing happens. Then, the astronauts discover a distress signal from the original Icarus. The Icarus I had set out on the same mission as the new one, but failed. The Icarus II crew decide to deviate from their course and go to Icarus I, mainly for the chance to have a backup bomb. Right before they reach the Icarus I is when things start to go haywire and the crew begins to turn on each other.
This is a very schizophrenic movie. For the first forty-five minutes, it seems like it is an abstract statement or an allegory about the transience of man in the universe like 2001: A Space Odyssey and A.I. Then, when things start happening, it seems like it is going to be an interpersonal drama with some allegorical themes. Finally, the last half hour of the movie inexplicably turns into a horror movie. It is almost as if the film's director, Danny Boyle, wanted to make a new 2001 and then realized he did not have as much to say about the human condition as Kubrick did.
- Movie Review: Sunshine
- Published: April 28, 2008
- Type: Review
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Thriller, Video: SF, Video: Drama
- Writer: Mark Kalriess
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MOST people I'm sure fell asleep, as I almost did. The plot isn't terrible, it has somewhat of a focus, perhaps it would have been better in a book.
Odd that you mention Apocalypse Now as I flashed on that movie as well while watching Sunshine. I agree with many of you character points in that it was hard to find locate the moral direction of each. I do like this filmaker though and felt that much of this movie was executed very well. It misses on plot believability, misses in the motivation behind much of what transpires and leaves very intriguing questions that arise during the movie completely unexplored. I look forwar to whatever comes next from him but by no means did I find this boring.
For me, as a SCI-FI fan, the most important part of the movie was the end, when Capa is on the surface of the sun. In the middle of the movie the other burnt ship Captain talked about his closeness with God. I always thought he referred to the sun, like the Egyptians. After all, it is the creator of all life. If you watch the movie realizing the sun as an entity, there is the emotional sense you see in drama movies, like when a father sees his children he has never known, for the first time. The sun created life a billion years ago and is getting old and tired. The sun is so close and yet so far and alone in the universe, until mankind makes the trip to its doorstep and reawakens the fire within.
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This was a GOOD movie! I suspect that, MOST ppl would behave erratically when faced with certain death. The 'SFX' were quite good & believable. The imagery was superb, as-well-as, the sets & video-graphy. The score was good & 'fitting'. I could relate to, & sympathize with all of the characters--it was (emotionally) a 'moving' experience. It was about saving, ALL 'life', on our world, & showing the day-to-day difficulties of interpersonal relating, but that the sacrifice--is worth it; & that, some ppl can actually 'see' the 'big' picture. How could anyone 'not' appreciate their mission/curse? This was a GOOOD movie. I just wish more (like it) would be produced.
KBR