Well firstly it's directed by Danny Boyle, the guy who won the Oscar for that film set in India. Yeah. He also directed superior movies called Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. It is written by Alex Garland who wrote The Beach, another film directed by Boyle. To be fair Boyle is a genius. Possibly the greatest British director of all time. He has conquered horror, drama, comedy, thriller and now Sci-Fi.
Sunshine is an odd one though. Eight brave people (two women and six men) have to save Earth which is freezing over from the sun dying. Their mission is to create a new star by nuking the sun. Yes it sounds preposterous on paper but it actually comes across as quite logical and realistic within the film. The main dilemma is that it opens on the ship Icarus II and we don't see what Earth has become. A shame really but obviously the budget couldn't stretch that far. The first 20 minutes are interminable as it is confusing as well as dull. An avalanche of characters flit in and out while we get a toe-curlingly bad scene with Cillian Murphy contacting home. I went to bed.
But I never like to just leave a movie unfinished (I finished Forrest Gump despite hating it from the first minute) so the following night I attempted to watch it again. And wow was I impressed!
The film is still a challenge to get into until roughly the 35th minute. But it really shines after that (sorry!). The story features some fascinating and dark avenues of thought and decision making. I don't really want to spoil it but there is the issue of there only being enough oxygen for half the crew on board. With this there are interesting character relationships and real developed characters like Cillian Murphy's determined, closed Capa or Chris Evans arrogant, forceful Mace. The lack of romance might put off some but for me it is necessary for the main story (the mission) to flourish. Movies where characters pointlessly get with each other in ridiculous situations can be fun but I personally think it's brave of Garland to focus solely on his characters relationships on a completely platonic level. It enables the plot to breathe and as the movie goes on the scientific side becomes easier to understand.
The tension rises to an unbearable level at times with fantastic scenes including the crew finding Icarus I (earlier failed mission) and a brilliant plot twist late on in the film keeping you hooked. Some of the camera work was reminiscent of 28 Days Later with its shaky, blurry and disturbing style. The film at this point jolts to a horror but quickly returns to the main plot with a mesmerisng sequence involving Capa, Mace and Rose Byrne's character all desperately trying to salvage the mission.
The acting is understated by a mix of unknowns and underrated B-List actors. The astonishingly good Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow in Nolan's Batman Begins and the only redeeming feature of Red Eye) imbues mystery, strength and anguish into Capa whilst Chris Evans (Fantastic Four's Torch and Push) gives a surprisingly strong performance as the confrontational Mace. Rose Byrne (28 Weeks Later) brings a tenderness to proceedings and Michelle Yeoh (Babylon AD, Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor) impresses. What makes the movie click though is the combination of the actors, the chemistry and obvious lack of egos enable the film to focus on a story that is simply to save Earth.
The ending is stunning. Simple as that. It;s emotional power reminded me of The Fountain in a way. The power of the human spirit and the sacrifices we must make for our planet to survive is superbly realised. It is helped by a magnificent soundtrack by John Murphy (28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later) that captures the tension, futuristic theme and the emotional impact of the story perfectly.
It might be slow and confusing not to mention the challenge of getting into the movie but give it time and it will slowly sink into your heart and brain with panache leaving you breathless at the end.
Many will talk about Boyle's success for Slumdog but for me he has been creating superior movies for years now and like many actors and directors he has gained acclaim which was long due. Scorsese anyone?!
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