There aren't many quality science fiction films, but Sunshine with Cillian Murphy is one of them. However, when watching it, you'll have to take into account one small con, we'll tell you what it is.
Sunshine Plot
The plot takes us to the near future, when the sun is fading, and the Earth is plunging into cold and darkness. The only hope for humanity is the Ikarus 2 mission, eight astronauts who are carrying a giant bomb to the sun in an attempt to rekindle the star.
Each crew member plays a key role:
- Cillian Murphy is the physicist Capa, the one who must activate the explosive device,
- Chris Evans is the engineer Mace,
- Michelle Yeoh is the biologist Corazon, who takes care of the oxygen garden,
- Rose Byrne is the navigator Cassie, and others.
The film takes us into an inexorably cold and at the same time blindingly bright space, where silence turns into a nightmare.
Hypnotic atmosphere and fear of the unknown
The first half of the film is filled with a frightening silence, a sense of hopelessness and a slow but inexorable movement towards death. The director creates a unique atmosphere with the help of:
- Sound engineering – the creaking of the ship, heavy breathing in the spacesuit, radio signals from the long-lost Ikarus 1;
- Visuals – the dense darkness of space gives way to the scorching light of the sun, and the golden spacesuits of the crew look like shells ready to explode;
- Human emotions – the realization that the mission is almost suicidal makes each member of the crew deeper and more tragic.
What went wrong in the second half?
Unfortunately, after a magnificent, tense construction of the film, the second half loses its originality by introducing an unnecessary antagonist. The film, which seemed like a majestic reflection on the nature of the victim, slides into a standard thriller, where the fear of the sun is replaced by the fear of man.
Is Sunshine Worth Watching?
Despite its sagging ending, Sunshine remains one of the most atmospheric and emotionally powerful sci-fi films of the 2000s. If you liked 2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, and Interstellar, this is definitely worth watching.
