Sunshine


release year: 2007
genre: science fiction drama
viewing setting: home DVD, 9/20/09

synopsis: In the year 2050, the sun is dying, and the ship sent there to fix the problem disappears. Seven years later, another ship is sent, representing the last chance to re-ignite the sun and save the world.

impressions: This is an example of a great premise executed poorly. I'm not sure exactly what the director was trying to do, but I think he had his own unique vision, and seeing that unique vision through became more important than creating a movie people would enjoy. Then again, it could just be me. My primary gripe has to do with director Danny Boyle's style; he uses background music during times of suspense, times of important drama, or, hell, any time and every time. In my opinion, near-constant background music means you're trying too hard to create a mood. He did this in 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later and it detracted from those films as well. Now to another track...here are my points of dumb-plot evidence. First, when selecting a crew of seven people to save the world, you DO NOT let any unstable, ultra-religious, or otherwise sub-optimal people join that crew. Second, if you've just helped others get to safety but have no tangible hope of reaching safety yourself, what do you do? Possibly explore the gigantic, mostly-functional ship you're stuck on with no real time limit, and maybe try to work something out? That's what I would do - I'd TRY to survive, rather than just giving up like one character did. Third, the sun is not a slowly-approaching destructive force, like a wall of fire. It's so hot that it would instantly vaporize you. Scenes with people standing there watching the sun in awe, at close range, stretch credibility severely...as does a scene where one guy is in the process of burning to a crisp and another guy asks him over the radio "What do you see?" as dramatic music plays. Sorry, but the sun is just NOT THAT FASCINATING. Especially when it's killing you. Anyway. Combine a bunch of crap like this and the movie just becomes alternately stupid and confusing, and sometimes both.
By the last ten minutes of this movie, I wasn't really even sure exactly what was going on, and that's saying something because I pay attention when I watch movies.

something this movie has that no other movie has: People functioning in very close proximity to the sun.

acting: Chris Evans is the engineer, a voice of sanity in an amazing and sometimes impossible situation. Cillian Murphy is the physicist, who is the only one who can activate the sun-re-igniter-bomb. Cliff Curtis is the psychologist, whose job it is to keep everyone sane (I'd say he fails!) Rose Byrne is the pilot, perhaps. Michelle Yeoh is the gardener, who weeps when her garden is destroyed. Enough. I'm done.

final word: I'm not sure what the point of this movie was, but I am becoming seriously biased against movies directed by Danny Boyle.

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