Submitted by cinemascope on Fri, 2007-04-06 16:36. :: Cinemascope 5
Movie title:
Sunshine
Starring:
Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Troy Garity, Cliff Curtis, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong, Mark Strong
Directed by:
Danny Boyle
Written by:
Alex Garland
Genre:
Sci-fi
Year:
2007
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Runtime:
1 hour 38 minutes
Imdb:
Rating:
Synopsis
In the near future, the sun is dying. After a mission sent to reignite the star is lost, another ship, Icarus II, is sent to propel a nuclear device the size of Manhattan into the heart of the sun.
In the near future, the sun is dying. After a mission sent to reignite the star is lost, another ship, Icarus II, is sent to propel a nuclear device the size of Manhattan into the heart of the sun.
Review
A tremendous concept is brilliantly realised by Danny Boyle, in what would be his best film, if it weren't let down by a weak final 10-15 minutes. The preceding hour and twenty minutes are a sort of slow-motion white-knuckle ride, as the Icarus II glides silently towards its destiny. The narrative is helped along by a series of tense set-pieces as the ship begins to creak as it nears its target. One stand-out sequence features crew members having to repair panels on the gigantic golden shield that guards the ship from the burning rays of the sun: on the big screen it's an awesome visual moment, and emotionally draining to boot. This and many other sequences in the movie are brilliantly realised by the British effects team at Three Mills studios, managing to create phenomenal CG work at a fraction of what a Hollywood budget would provide. The sound design is also hugely atmospheric, aided by a fabulous soundtrack by Underworld. Alex Garland and Danny Boyle's confidence in Garland's tight script must have run out when it came to the closing stages of Sunshine, as the tone shifts and we move into more traditional sci-fi thriller territory, which is ultimately a disappointing end to an otherwise fine movie.
A tremendous concept is brilliantly realised by Danny Boyle, in what would be his best film, if it weren't let down by a weak final 10-15 minutes. The preceding hour and twenty minutes are a sort of slow-motion white-knuckle ride, as the Icarus II glides silently towards its destiny. The narrative is helped along by a series of tense set-pieces as the ship begins to creak as it nears its target. One stand-out sequence features crew members having to repair panels on the gigantic golden shield that guards the ship from the burning rays of the sun: on the big screen it's an awesome visual moment, and emotionally draining to boot. This and many other sequences in the movie are brilliantly realised by the British effects team at Three Mills studios, managing to create phenomenal CG work at a fraction of what a Hollywood budget would provide. The sound design is also hugely atmospheric, aided by a fabulous soundtrack by Underworld. Alex Garland and Danny Boyle's confidence in Garland's tight script must have run out when it came to the closing stages of Sunshine, as the tone shifts and we move into more traditional sci-fi thriller territory, which is ultimately a disappointing end to an otherwise fine movie.
