January 27, 2013
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Sunshine (2007)
Sunshine (2007)
ABOUT
As the sun begins to dim along with humankind’s hope for the future, it’s up to a desperate crew of eight astronauts to reach the dying star and reignite the fire that will bring life back to planet Earth in this tense psychological sci-fi thriller
DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle (Other works include “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), “127 Hours” (2010) and “Trainspotting” (1996))
STARRING
Cillian Murphy as Capa (also starred in “The Dark Knight”. “Batman Begins”, “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Red Eye”)
Chris Evans as Mace (also starred in “The Avengers”, “Captain America” and “Push”)
Rose Byrne as Cassie (also starred in “X-Men: First Class”, ” 28 weeks later” and “Insidious”)
Michelle Yeoh as Corazon (also starred in “Babylon A.D.”, and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”)
Hiroyuki Sanada as Kaneda (also starred in “Rush Hour 3″ and the TV show “Lost”)
Clif Curtis as Searle (also starred in “The Last Airbender”, “Colombiana” and “Push”)
On the surface, this movie seems not that special, as it basically melds various sci-fi sub-genres – space adventure, natural disaster, and psychological horror – but it infuses its familiar story with symbolism, subtext, and a much deeper meaning. So much so that it may take a few viewings to catch most of it. There is a sharp turn toward horror in the final act, which is jarring, that doesn’t stray from the overall message. Every part of the film, from the story to the characters to the visuals, works towards its common theme, and that makes it a very powerful experience.
I don’t think it would be wrong to call this film a modern day “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “Alien”? Some people my think comparing the director Danny Boyle to Stanley Kubrick and Ridley Scott may seem a tad much, but after viewing the film I’m sure viewers will be inclined to agree. The film is a high-caliber thinker’s science-fiction movie, just like those giants of old. It is not a Star Wars/Star Trek inspired flick where anything goes, and for the most part it is grounded in reality. The attention to detail is just stunning.
In short, Sunshine is an amazing movie, from beginning to end.
