Sunshine

Flawed, but worthy,visually spectacular effort, 6 May 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom


*** This review may contain spoilers ***


The sci fi genre has only fitfully appeared in mainstream cinema recently. As a fan, I wanted the film to succeed. Boyle and Garland are distinguished and accomplished at directing and producing, and equipped with a big budget, this picture stood every chance of success. But somehow it doesn't quite get there.

The CGI effects are tremendous. The soundtrack compelling, broody and sympathetic.The subject matter is Shakespearean in ambition - destiny, fate,tragedy, the Grand Quest. But the script doesn't match this ambition and the storyline looks as though it has been machine-gunned in the editing suite.

A third of the way through the film we discover that the first mission spaceship is still around. The crew have to make a momentous and plot altering decision to investigate. the dramatic potential is huge but after the decision is taken we suddenly appear at "Icarus1" the original spaceship.

Ultimately i lost interest as the bold and challenging aspirations of the original story are shredded by cheap dramatic devices and unconvincing plot and character development. as a consequence it fails against the less ambitious "Event Horizon", and never matches "Alien " in the suspense stakes- both films clearly providing a stylistic anchor.

A decent effort - but could, and should, have been far better.