Wesley's Sunshine Review

I’ve watched Sunshine with three different groups of people now and, each time, the movie has gone over very well. I really enjoy this film. It’s a real shame that it didn’t get a wider release in America as it’s a thousand times better than most of the crap that gets distributed here. As usual, I hate doing a synopsis for movies, so here’s a pretty vague one (trust me, it’s better that way) from IMBD:

“50 years into the future, the Sun begins to die, and Earth is dying as a result. A team of astronauts is sent to revive the Sun - but the mission fails. Seven years later, a new team is sent to finish the mission as they are Earth's last hope.”

Yeah, that doesn’t really sound special, does it? When I explained the basic plot to the group I showed the film to last night, I got some unsure looks. However, by the end of the movie, they understood why I settled on watching it. Sunshine is one of the most unique, well-done and cleverly crafted science fiction movies that I’ve seen in a long time. It looks like it’s going in one direction and then it surprises you and goes the complete opposite course. Danny Boyle, the director of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, directs with the movie in a truly inimitable, focused, and vibrant way. I really liked his strange approach to handling one of the more surprisingly elements in the last half of the film. It really caught me off guard. He managed to not only create a solid sci-fi movie but also a film that my friends agreed was scarier than most horror movies out today. While we’re talking about directing, we might as well talk about the cinematography by Alwin H. Kuchler. Sunshine has some of the most gorgeous cinematography that I’ve ever seen in a movie. The only movie that I would say rivals its beautiful images is The Fountain. Never has the sun looked like this on film. As my friend Zach pointed out, it is almost as if the filmmaking team made the sun a character of the film through the way it was constantly cut to and filmed. I agree with him. Not only is the cinematography stunning but it also has a purpose.

While the filmmaking effort of Sunshine is truly exceptional, the cast of the film is another strong point that needs to be delved into. I’ve been a fan of Cillian Murphy since I saw him in Boyle’s previously mentioned feature 28 Days Later and here is no exception. The guy works great as the unlikely lead and really worked hard to sell some of the film’s more stressful and strenuous moments. Good job. Another stand out performance comes from Chris Evans. Although most of the movies I’ve seen Evans in before this have been pretty bad, the guy always has a certain amount of charisma about him. Here, he plays the character of hotheaded Mace to perfection. Yeah, the guy has some good points at times but man Evans will make you want to punch him pretty hard in some scenes. He seems to be having a lot of fun in the role and it really helps. The rest of the cast, including a variety of people such as Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada (who my brother and I refer to as Ringu due to his role in that film) and Rose Byrne, all work to create very real and identifiable people that you, as a viewer, come to really care for or just despise. There was a lot of solid acting going on in this flick, making it work even better than it already was.

Along with the solid directing and acting, Alex Garland’s script for Sunshine was completely original and full of surprises. Despite the script’s uniqueness, this seems to be the one thing that most people have a problem with. The third act of the film is so unexpected and different in tone from the previous two acts that it is actually pretty jarring to witness. The first time I saw the film I just didn’t really know how to feel about the whole thing. However, as time went on, I grew to love the insanity of it all. Plus, it really works on a visceral level and is actually pretty frightening to watch. One thing is for sure- the switch gets a reaction from people every time I’ve watched it. This really isn’t much of a surprise though coming from Garland. The final act from his 28 Days Later screenplay was also very different from the first two acts. This was something that I really enjoyed about that film but, as reviews show, many weren’t too crazy about that change in tone and direction either. So, depending who you are, this one factor could make or break the film for you. As for me, well, I loved it. Another thing that I really enjoyed from the film was the beautiful score by John Murphy and The Underworld. I loved Murphy’s haunting and emotional score for 28 Days Later and this one is just as good. There are a couple of climatic moments in the film involving the sun where it particularly shines (pun). Something else that is fun about the film is realizing how ironic it can be from time to time, whether it’s what character makes a mistake or how a certain death occurs. Obviously I cannot go into this subject without going into spoiler territory but you should definitely keep your eye open for these when you watch the film.

I really can’t find many bad things to say about Sunshine. The first time I saw the film, I really enjoyed it but couldn’t see myself watching it again. Then, as time passed, I found myself thinking about it more and more. After awhile, I decided to buy it. Now, I can honestly say that I think it is one of the most original, enjoyable and well-made science fiction movies that I’ve seen in years. This should have been promoted better and given a much wider release in the United States. It deserved more. It’s a thousand times better than all the crap that directors like Michael Bay get put into countless cinemas all over the States. Some viewers may be turned off by the film’s insane last act, but if you like a solid science fiction film with a great cast, director, writer, composer, and beautiful cinematography, Sunshine is for you. If not, well, you should still check it out.

8/10