Review of Sunshine (2007) by Halfwelshman — 25 Nov 2011

Danny Boyle's Sunshine delivers on so many levels. Though it's about a team of astronauts and scientists trying to restart the sun, it's not really a sci-fi, not in essence. You've got the interstellar location and advanced technology of such a genre, but Sunshine has far more in common with old seafaring adventure pictures (the highly claustrophobic surroundings and steadily building conflicts between the crew could have been lifted directly out of The Bounty).

There's also a decent helping of psychological horror, which fits in nicely with the cramped, eerie locations of the film and the high stakes that are involved. At its heart, Sunshine addresses the very darkest elements of human nature - our quest for knowledge and our need to survive.

The fact that Boyle can discuss such deep and complex issues in an engaging and accessible way is a true testament to him as a filmmaker. Alex Garland's writing is strong, Boyle's storytelling fluid, the effects rather beautiful and the actor's performances (particularly Cillian Murphy and Rose Byrne) solid.

Where Sunshine falls slightly short is in its finale - while still decent enough in filmmaking terms, it loses a little focus and seems a bit too preoccupied with tying everything up quickly and neatly, when a more open ended and ambiguous ending might have been more powerful.

Even so, you're unlikely to see another such thought-provoking sci-fi any time soon.