Radio Lady Reviews: “Sunshine” (Opens Friday, July 27, 2007)

[Radio_Lady]

Let’s begin with my credentials. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool science fiction fan. When I was a teenager in the 1950s, I gobbled up the current films. Off the top of my head, I remember “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” “Destination Moon,” "Forbidden Planet," “Invaders from Mars,” “It Came from Outer Space,” "When Worlds Collide," and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

I read sci-fic voraciously, and my favorite authors were Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov. I even wrote a couple of sci-fi stories myself. I’m married to a man who is even more well-read in this genre than most other guys I know, and our son-in-law is also a fan. We have all loved movie and TV versions of “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” and dozens of other fascinating sci-fi flicks.

But the new movie “Sunshine” (not to be confused with “Little Miss Sunshine” or "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") – by British director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland – is just a very big science fiction disappointment. Despite several glimmers of sunshine, including stupendous computer graphics, an impressive international cast (Chris Evans, Cillian Murphy, Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, and Troy Garity) and a fairly cohesive story running for about the first half of the movie, “Sunshine” eventually crashes and burns. It really pains me to post a poor review on a sci-fi movie that tries so hard and gets so many things right. So I don’t want to just shove this movie where the sun doesn’t shine, but its ponderous and head-scratching script left me with big questions.

I talked to another local Portland (Oregon) reviewer who had just about the same reaction as I did. He absolutely didn’t want to write about it, which is very unusual. “This thing is so full of holes that it’s a piece of sci-fi Swiss cheese,” he pouted. “Let’s start with the name of the project, Icarus, which involves astronauts going up to repair the artificial sun. What’s up with that? Icarus was the god who flew too close to the sun. His wings melted and he came to a very bad ending. This movie is going down in flames and I want to be done with it,” he groused as we left the theater. I haven't read his review yet, but I believe it will not be positive.

So, here I am, left to sweep up and make shadowy excuses. I dosed a bit during this movie. It really didn't engage me at any level. I'm sorry, but I’m giving this film a C-minus on Ellen’s Entertainment Report Card.

UPDATE: The movie is receiving better reviews than I expected. Because I want to leave you with a positive impression, please visit the following sites and get more acquainted with some of the major reviewers’ impressions.

http://www.us.imdb.com/title/tt0448134/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sunshine/

http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/sunshine2007?q=Sunshine


I plan to give my Internet audience plenty of time to chime in on this one, and convince me I’m wrong. I really hate to rain on anyone’s movie parade. Maybe I’ll try to catch the flick again during our vacation in August. If you see the movie, please feel free to lob a couple of flaming arrows at me. I’ve got my shields up and you won’t hurt my feelings.

This is Ellen Kimball for Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Accessible Information Network.

MPAA: Rated R for violent content and language.
Runtime: USA:108 min / UK:107 min
Country: UK
Language: English
In Color: Yes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital / SDDS / DTS

[Radio_Lady]

1. Are you or anyone you know planning to see this movie? If so, please post your comments here.

Thanks a bunch!

Making peace a priority,

Radio Lady Ellen in Oregon
(Movie reviewer for OPB's Accessible Information Network)

[MysticalChicken]

2. I watched the trailer for this On Demand

a few weeks ago, and I have to say it seems to me like it's just another one of those oh-no-something-bad-is-happening-in-outer-space-let's-get-Bruce-Willis-to-fix-it sort of movies, à la Armageddon or Deep Impact. Whichever was the one that had Bruce Willis in it. It just doesn't look interesting to me. But I'm not really a science-fiction fan, at least when it comes to movies.

[Radio_Lady]

4. Hi MysticalChicken -- What kind of movies do you prefer? Going to any this weekend?

Thanks for your post. I saw the trailer months ago. Sounded interesting, but the movie is a disappointment, in my opinion.

[Radio_Lady]

3. **POSSIBLE SPOILERS** on the plot -- some second thoughts after writing the review.

I want to add a couple of criticisms of the plot of "Sunshine." The first problem is that basic premise of their expedition seems highly questionable. Given the necessity for sending a space ship to the sun, with an explosive payload to re-ignite its waning power, why would you send a manned vehicle at all? Fifty years later, it could have been unmanned and it could have been driven right into the sun. We have as an example the fact that the space program to the present day has used unmanned vehicles to travel successfully throughout our solar system. It seems clear that it is so complicated to include human beings in space travel that you don't want to do that unless it's really necessary. There is supposed to be some science behind the fiction, and in this care, the science doesn't seem to support the whole mission. If there is a reason, it doesn't seem to be well justified.

The second criticism is that early on, the original mission is changed significantly in order for Icarus II to be able to visit the failed Icarus I. The main justification being that it would provide them an additional bomb or payload. So the question that raises is -- if it was so important to have a back-up for the primary payload, why would they have not put two on the original spaceship?

Also, why do they have NO communications with mission headquarters to get their guidance? They seem to be in space with no connections -- all alone.

It's like many films that are made that go wrong... if you leave the theater, and you find yourself wondering if the plot holds water or not, then you find yourself wondering if the movie is just so flawed as to be unworkable.

[Radio_Lady]

5. Everyone went to see "The Simpsons" or "Chuck and Larry" this weekend?