Sunshine (Danny Boyle, 2007)

Sunshine (Danny Boyle, 2007)
Rating: 7.7

I usually avoid science fiction films. With the exceptions of Solaris, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Alien and maybe a hand full of others, the genre tends to feel cold and stale. Boyle's film Sunshine is a refreshing take on the sci-fi genre without reinventing the wheel. Let's not kid ourselves, scientifically a lot of the physics don't add up, the overall structure of the film is pretty predictable, and several scenes wreak of over dramatics, however Boyle still manages to put his own unique spin on it all by straying from the mundane, corny nature of the genre. There are remnants of the sci-fi classics mentioned above sprinkled throughout and maybe even a little bit of Apocalypse Now in there, but like all great artists inspired by others before them, Boyle molds the film into his own hybrid creation. The orgasmic visuals accompanied by the musical score of John Murphy and Underworld is a glorious combination, not to mention the relentless script courtesy of Alex Garland(The Beach, 28 Days Later). There is an ominous mood throughout as space and the sun itself interact with the characters creating feelings of tension and even isolation. In my opinion Sunshine is easily Boyle's second best effort behind Trainspotting.