To say there is nothing new under the sun is usually apt in sunny Hollywood, but not this time

Author: Flagrant-Baronessa from Sweden
22 April 2007

With a suitably international and diverse cast to simulate the equivalent crew onboard the Icarus II ("Icarus I" didn't fare so well), director Danny Boyle fledges a science fiction that gains momentum at its very first image – and does not halt until the end credits roll. To be perfectly frank, this is one of the most unbearably exciting films for whose entire duration I have ever squirmed in my seat for at the theatre.

On a mission to re-ignite the sun by detonating a bomb ("the size of Manhattan island", Cillian Murphy's physicist nods to American audiences and cause me to suffer horrible flashbacks to Armaggeddon's "it's the size of Texas" assessment) human lives are expendable and rationalized by rank. There are scientists, astronauts and various specialists on Icarus II who are all poised on the brink of sacrificing themselves for the greater good of mankind. Diverse in the sense that there are both men and women, and few characters are 'black or white' (morally, and physically), it does puzzle me that New Zealanders, Aussies and Irishmen have been arbitrarily converted into Americans. The crew is nevertheless highly impressive and professional, with a few minor exceptions for plot-propelling purposes, like when someone does something very stupid.

There is noticeably a tremendous visual sense throughout "Sunshine" with a screen that is awash with sparkling explosions and each frame saturated with bright colours and dimmed contrasts. There is no genre-transcending perhaps, and most probably its visuals are under the mercy of dating effects, but for now this is truly the crème de la crème of science fiction, take my word for it. Even the cinematography within the spaceship alleys and chambers is compelling and sweeps through Icarus II with great tracking shots. Amongst other films, Danny Boyle was inspired by Das Boot and certainly there are traces of the same claustrophobia underpinning the setting, but ultimately he opted for a more habitable environment to make it believable (like humanity would ship off its only hope with a crummy, crowded old vessel).
                                                                                    
To justify the occasional bouts of sci-fi clichés, I'd like to firstly point out that it's not like "Sunshine" traffics in stereotypes or resorts to formulaic elements, and secondly that I believe certain clichés have evolved for a reason – they quite clearly stand the test of time. There are within science fiction some staples that are simply necessary to define its genre, such as the dutiful human sacrifices to up the drama, the internal mutinies to instill the uncertainty in the operation, the nightmarish conditions onboard the ship to suck you in, the technical jargon of velocities and shield angles that spits like bullet-fire to give the film a firm scientific footing, and finally the epic music to elevate suspense.

"Sunshine" incorporates and melts together all of the aforementioned, but in militantly non-formulaic ways that only add to the experience. As a potent example, there isn't just pedestrian classical tunes recycled from 2001 and filtered through {insert rote Hollywood composer here}'s score – it is puffed full of beautiful piano crescendos that are almost incongruous to the sci-fi vibe, and the cumulative effect is wonderful."Sunshine" is sporadically blemished by minor faults, such as when Murphy's Law is being followed a bit too rigorously to up the excitement. Luckily, all of this is washed away or camouflaged when Boyle serves up his next goosebumps-inducing, gasp-eliciting spectacle – be it a horror twist or an impossibly epic action stunt.

On the topic of the former, and clearly the chiasma at which "Alien" comparisons have been drawn, there is a magnificently creepy horror/mystery vibe interlacing the story in space. On top of this, Danny Boyle also dabbles in existentialism (a little too much if you ask me), making this into one of the most ambitious sci-fi turns ever made. In this way, maybe "Sunshine" is not primed to collect awards or even serve as meat for mainstream Hollywood, but I think it's safe to crown it the "Alien" of the 21st century.8 out of 10

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Danny Boyle successfully reignites the sci-fi genre!

Author: soulmining from United Kingdom
19 March 2007

After reanimating the zombie genre with 28 Days Later, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland now turn their attention towards science fiction - with equally startling results.Sunshine is unequivocally the best sci-fi movie in a very, very long time. I'd echo the other comments on here - it mixes elements of 2001: A Space Oddessy with Event Horizon, then adds the tension of Alien. This is NOT the gung-ho action of Armageddon, The Core et al.

The film just throws you straight into the space mission, there's no background to worry about, only these 8 crew members headed towards the sun. The great thing about this cast is that there's no "superstar" billing, so you're never sure who is going to make it alive to the end of the film! The actors are uniformly good, with Chris Evans in particular deserving much praise. Michelle Yeoh delivers a very understated performance, very different from her ass-kicking Asian roles!

Danny Boyle has always been good with characters but with Sunshine he really steps up a level. Visually this film is astonishing and literally had me open mouthed at times. The production design, costumes, the sound design, the music from Underworld... they all combine to give the viewer an amazing cinematic experience that you'll want to watch for a second time, just to take it all in.

Whilst it's an exciting, tense film to watch there's no denying the serious point of Sunshine's message. It's a film about preserving the future of mankind and the sacrifices that have to be made in order to do that... and it will make you think long after the credits have rolled.A fantastic achievement - one which deserves to be seen on the big screen when it opens worldwide. 9/10

Fascinating Film

Author: Amanda Scott (slytherinsdoitbetter) from United States
23 March 2007

I am not a sci-fi fan. I've seen a few sci-fi films, but I don't flock to the nearest cinema to check them out. The only one I own on DVD is Alien vs. Predator, and that's only because it was three bucks at the video store and I needed a fifth one. I haven't seen 2001 or Event Horizon, and I don't remember anything about Alien. I saw Armageddon in 1998, when I was eleven years old, and I just remember being embarrassed at that scene with the animal crackers.

That being said, this film may have turned me into one of the sci-fi fans. If nothing else—if seeing a film that explores more than just "action" on screen isn't your kind of thing—the film is gorgeous. The shots of the sun are some of the most fascinating bits of effects I have ever seen in any sort of film, not only sci-fi. The film is set only fifty years into the future, and therefore the technological aspects of the set are relatable rather than hard to imagine.

The characters are well developed, and the actors are top-notch. Every single performance is phenomenal, and I was even a bit taken aback by how much I enjoyed Chris Evans's portrayal of Mace. Everyone seems to have taken the time to learn about the science and about the psychological factors of being with the same people for so long (most likely due to the fact that Danny Boyle sort of forced them to), and it shows on screen. The characters are all real, and although none of us know what it would be like to be in space and alone for sixteen months, there are aspects of them all that are immediately relatable.

The plot is secondary. That doesn't mean that it isn't well thought or anything like that, but the human drama and psychological journey of the characters is the primary concern in the film, and the fact that they are going to re-ignite the sun is merely the background story that puts them all together in the first place. There are far more triggers that ask the audience to think about their life and the life of mankind and of the universe itself than there are for the audience to question, "Well, how did that just happen?" The film asks us to have a brain and be willing to use it.

Sunshine is a religious experience. It is very personal and is a very unique experience to each member of the audience. It is incredible, awe-inspiring, intense, and one of the most beautiful pieces of film I have ever seen. Danny Boyle, Alex Garland and Andrew Macdonald have done it again. A+.

163 out of 271 people found the following review useful:
 
Fantastic

Author: Knut Torgersen (knutt) from Drammen, Norway
29 August 2007

When I realized who directed this one, I thought, "Oh, no - not Danny Boyle!" but since I totally LOVE science fiction, I ordered the DVD and thought: "Mr Boyle, surprise me!" And surprise me he did.This is without doubt the best science fiction movie in a very long time. Visually, this one is a gem. I don't think I have seen such beauty in the Sun ever. The "Icarus II" interiors and exterior is truly wonderful and looks so very real. The actors do a great job realizing a surprisingly good script.The story is a blend of many science fiction movies, but more on the paying tribute to what was than stealing.

You have for instance the resemblance of "Discovery One" in "2001: A Space Odyssey", and a couple of other scenes from there. Watch both movies and you will get my point. Several other movies also have "guest appearances".Expect state of the art special effects, expect an excellent script - and expect wonderful acting.I'm not only surprised - I am also very much impressed!

Very Impressive, Boyle conquers another genre!

Author: Sergeant_Tibbs from Suffolk, England
11 April 2007

Danny Boyle has rebooted the sci-fi genre to a magnificent start. "Sunshine", clearly inspired by the classics "Alien", "2001: A Space Odyssey" and many more, but brought to the modern age.

The plot sounds ridiculous at first, but once you get into it, you really get into it! A crew of 8 are sent on a mission to set a bomb in the sun as it is dying and the earth is suffering a solar winter. 7 years before that there was a similar mission, but that failed. They find the lost spacecraft and decide to board it, but a fatal incident occurred that lost them their oxygen supply. There is no longer enough for all of them to get back to earth alive. But there is enough for few; so who will take the plunge and who will survive? And will their sanities stay intact to last them the epic journey?

With such a small cast there was surprisingly no weak performances. Everyone had the desired screen-time to be able to care for them. But the characters anger and frustration caught up with them after being on the ship for 16 months, they begin to take acts of violence on each other and feel stressed so they forget vital aspects that could cost them their lives. You have to remember that they will save mankind if their mission is a success; that's a lot of pressure. And the film feels like a lot of pressure due to the intenseness it creates.

Boyle's skills to create tension is impressive. He uses special techniques to make us feel claustrophobic and more importantly, to panic. Close ups, angles, blurs, stretches, stops, flashes all add up to the effect. The effect of feeling the heat. It burns. But in between those scenes you get to see the relaxing side of space. The view from outside. Its beautiful, truly dazzling and spectacular.The score is incredible. During the beginning its like a calm 'breather'. But then its turns into a beat. A fast beat. And your heart joins it. Pumping away to make you feel more insecure. Very intense.

Boyle really proves he has talent for different genres in this modern sci-fi to be classic showing how people do the most inhumane thing to survive. I highly recommend it. Rewatches over the years have revealed its flaws and clichés but it's still enjoyable and nostalgic for me.8/10

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Are you an angel? Has the time come? I've been waiting so long.

Author: JohnRouseMerriottChard from United Kingdom
2 May 2009

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 

Sunshine brightens careers and minds

Author: chero06 from United States
28 March 2007

I watched this film twice. Both viewings left me with an entirely new experience. This is what I admire about the talented duo of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. They both envision an entertainment encounter enhanced by a subversive message regarding human issues of today. As an intelligent film, Sunshine provides a slate of questions, which are answered by you, the viewer. There is no wrong way to view this film. It acts like a self-portrait, where the film becomes the paint and you become the painter.

The plot follows a crew of eight scientists/astronauts who set out on an epic mission towards the Sun, a star which is dying due to internal deterioration by a "Q Ball" (seehttp://www.sunshinedna.com/?p=236). On their ship, Icarus II, they carry a Stellar Bomb, which is mastered by the physicist Capa (Cillian Murphy). After they reach Mercury, a transmission is heard from the first spaceship that failed the mission. From there, the action begins. The CGI was impressive, especially the reflective solar panels on the spaceship. The Sun is a spectacular sight to see. Its magnificence and peril are certainly shown in the film. Despite this, the CGI is not overpowering. The complexity of the characters parallel (if not exceed) the well-done special effects.

Since Sunshine features an ensemble cast, it is really hard to point out only one actor who succeeded among the rest. All of them – well-known and not – portrayed their characters to the fullest and brought their best talents to the big screen. Murphy did a fantastic acting performance as Capa. Scientific jargon was not at all a problem with this character. He made you believe Capa's expertise in physics as well as his lack of it as a non-career astronaut. Another standout performance resonates from the beautiful actress, Rose Byrne. Her emotional dynamic is tested in this project and she pulls it off to an uncommon level. Do not be swayed by her looks alone. If her previous film Troy did not catapult her into the public eye, Sunshine will no doubt brighten her Hollywood status.

If you plan on refusing Sunshine because of Chris Evans, you will severely regret it. Although typecast as a comedy actor, he truly shines as quite the opposite in this film. Not only does he captivate the audience with his hothead, apathetic persona as the engineer Mace, he sets himself apart from his popular film characters, like Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four. As to be expected in thrilling horror films, Evans also contributes mild comedic relief in various places to lighten up the wave of high tension Sunshine offers. In the end, Mace's redeeming quality puts him outside the realm of antagonist.
                                                                                      
Murphy, Byrne and Evans were the only actors who I knew fairly well beforehand. However, after being a webmistress of a Sunshine fansite (http://sunshine.e-fan.org) and watching the film twice, I became a fan of everyone. Michelle Yeoh is an international sensation and her performance in Sunshine leaves me breathless every time. She plays the biologist Corazon and her passion toward the Oxygen Garden and living plants is apparent in everything Yeoh does – especially the deep emotion expressed in her eyes and voice. Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada is by far one of the best selections in the Sunshine cast. His role as Captain Kaneda is complimented by Sanada's natural dominating and respected presence on screen. Kaneda's impact on the film is pivotal and memorable throughout.

Out of the entire cast, Benedict Wong, Cliff Curtis and Troy Garity are perhaps the least known. The lovely Benedict "Benny" Wong deserves much better recognition than he has had in the past. He was said to have acted too intensely in one scene. If you have seen Sunshine, you will realize how meaningful that statement is and the level at which Wong performs. New Zealander Cliff Curtis plays the doctor Searle. As Searle, Curtis introduces one of the main points embedded in the film and becomes a solid player in the ideological arena. The communications officer Harvey, Troy Garity's character, can be misunderstood if you have not read the character backstories (see http://www.sunshinedna.com/?p=247). Garity successfully captures his essence to the say the least.

Sunshine is not supposed to intimidate you into believing anything nor did I leave the theater feeling that way. It is simply a film that expanded the thrills and excitement of a science fiction piece to a powerful human drama. If you would rather not inspect its deeper implications, you can still appreciate Sunshine for its fictitious and pleasurable value. The action and emotion flooding the film keeps you on the edge of your seat. Who will survive? Will they complete the mission? Watch it and be amazed.

Trivia
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This included touring the CERN facility in Switzerland and learned to copy physicists' mannerisms. Murphy ended up copying some of Cox's personal idiosyncrasies, such as his frequent hand movements. The actor also studied Henri-Georges  Clouzot's classic Le salaire de la peur (1953) to have an understanding of the type of suspense that Danny Boyle was attempting to create. -Dr Brian Cox, CERN / Manchester University, acted as the film's science advisor.

His wife was involved in production of the movie's blog. -Kaneda, the captain, was originally written as an American, but scientist and space experts persuaded Danny Boyle to change the nationality, to make it more in keeping with the international nature of space missions. Hiroyuki Sanada was recommended to Boyle by Kar Wai Wong. -Hiroyuki Sanada's character was originally called Kanada but he asked Danny Boyle to change the name to Kaneda, a more natural Japanese name.

-Danny Boyle found working on a sci-fi project so exhausting, he vowed never to make another one again. -The cast members all underwent space training and learned how to scuba dive. Among the films that Danny Boyle insisted they all watch were L'étoffe des héros (1983) and For All Mankind (1989). Boyle also took his cast on a tour of a nuclear submarine to help them better understand cramped living conditions. He also had them experience weightlessness in the zero G environment of an acrobatic plane. -Filming took place in the 3 Mills Studios in East London.

The film employed 8 stages, 17 sets and numerous detailed models. Three film units worked on the film at any one time over the course of the 15 week filming schedule. -The corpses of burn victims in the film were modeled on the Pompeii victims from the Mount Vesuvius eruption. -Alex Garland's script heavily featured notions of God and atheism that Danny Boyle chose to downplay to help the film find an audience. -Danny Boyle was so impressed with Michelle Yeoh's audition, that he told her that she could choose any part in the script and he would give it to her - he was even prepared to change the gender if she had chosen a male character.

She ultimately decided on Corazon, the biologist. -In the original screenplay, the Icarus payload was the same size, but was made of highly compressed dark matter (there is no mention of needing fissile material) and had the same mass as the moon, so it had its own gravity (one-sixth the Earth's normal). The science advisor pointed out problems with using a bomb that massive, so it was reduced to the mass of Manhattan. A take with the original line can be seen on the DVD, in a deleted scene.

-Cliff Curtis had to leave filming early for personal reasons, so several shots of him (such as entering the bomb compartment) had to be provided by a double wearing dark glasses and a baseball cap. These were deleted when that part of the "test-firing" scene was given to Rose Byrne's character. You can view his double's work on the deleted scenes included on the DVD. -The name of physicist Robert Capa has been taken from photographer Robert Capa, made famous because of his legendary "Falling Soldier" photo, that depicted a falling soldier in the very moment of being killed by a bullet.

-The actors all had to live together in order to create a palpable feeling onscreen that they all knew each other. -Rose Byrne was chosen from the strength of her performance in Troie (2004). When producer Andrew Macdonald first pitched the script to 20th Century Fox, they were reluctant to go near a sci-fi script after the commercial tanking of Solaris (2002). The project ended up at Fox's specialized arm, Searchlight. -Danny Boyle and Alex Garland worked on the script for over a year. They then spent a second year in pre-production, filmed for three months and then spent another year editing and working on the visual effects. -The script underwent 35 drafts.

-The book "Moondust" by Andrew Smith, a collection of accounts of the men who had walked on the moon, was required reading for all cast members. -The film is comprised of 750 visual effects. Normally, effects are farmed out to several different effects houses. However, Danny Boyle chose just the one to make it easier to keep an eye on progress. This explains why the film was in post-production for a year. -Actual sounds received from space that were captured by a Midwestern university were incorporated into the sound design. -

Danny Boyle originally planned for there to be a sex scene between Capa (Cillian Murphy) and Cassie (Rose Byrne) in the ship's oxygen garden. He eventually scrapped it because he felt that the idea of sex and romance in space would be too ridiculous. -Alex Garland wrote the film as a "love letter" to psychologically-minded science-fiction, and also a film about atheism and "meeting God". He and director Danny Boyle differed in their interpretation of this aspect of this film, but found this did not affect the content of the movie.

 Garland remarks that they had reached "the same two interpretations that could be made from the world around us". The distinctive golden color of the space suits was intended to make them memorable to sci-fi fans. The character "Kenny" from South Park (1997) was used as a design reference for the funnel-shaped helmet. A small number of suits and helmets were built as wearable costumes, so the actors could experience the claustrophobia and react appropriately.

-The name of the spaceships - Icarus - is symbolic. Icarus is a character in Greek Mythology. His father, Daedalus, made a pair of wings for himself and his son so that they could escape from a prison. He made them from feathers and wax. Before they took off, Daedalus warned his son not to fly too close to the sun, as the wax will melt, nor too close to the sea, as the feathers will dampen. But overcome by the feeling that flying gave him, Icarus soared through the sky, too close to the sun.

His wings melted and Icarus fell into the sea. Director Michael Winterbottom had originally hoped to use the film's sets on the production's off days to shoot his own science fiction comedy. Permission was never worked out and Winterbottom's film was canceled. -This is the second film titled 'Sunshine' to feature actor Mark Strong, after 1999's Sunshine (1999). -The emergency over-ride code 000 is the number for emergency services (Police, Fire Brigade and Ambulance) in Australia.