Stars: Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Chris Evans, Troy Garity, Michelle Yeoh, Cillian Murphy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michelle Khan, Benedict Wong

Director: Danny Boyle

Summary: Set in the not too distant future, SUNSHINE follows eight astronauts on a mission to save the dying Sun by delivering their payload of a nuclear bomb into the star's core.

Set in the not too distant future, SUNSHINE follows eight astronauts on a mission to save the dying Sun by delivering their payload of a nuclear bomb into the star's core. In the year 2057, the Sun no longer produces the amount of energy needed to sustain the human race. The international community decides to send a combination of astronauts and scientists on a mission to the Sun in the hope that they can successfully fire a bomb the size of Manhattan into the star in order to reignite it and save mankind. The multinational crew are comprised of Captain Kaneda (Hiroyuki Sanada, THE TWILIGHT SAMURI), physicist Capa (Cillian Murphy, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY), biologist Corazon (Michelle Yeoh, TOMORROW NEVER DIES), engineer Mace (Chris Evans, FANTASTIC FOUR), pilot Cassie (Rose Byrne, TROY), physician Searle (Cliff Curtis, WHALE RIDER), communications officer Harvey (Troy Garity, BARBERSHOP), and navigator Trey (Benedict Wong, GROW YOUR OWN). As they journey towards the Sun, the crew discover the Icarus I spaceship, which was sent on the same mission as them seven years ago but mysteriously disappeared.
Director Danny Boyle reunites with screenwriter Alex Garland and producer Andrew MacDonald (THE BEACH, 28 DAYS LATER) for the science-fiction thriller SUNSHINE and creates a visually astounding film that, like its influences SOLARIS and 2001 – A SPACE ODYSSEY, is a sci-fi film that is grounded in reality, making for an intense examination of the human psyche and the strain brought upon people who are engaged in space travel. The international cast produce engaging performances and, while looking visually spectacular, SUNSHINE contains a lot more depth and intelligence than the average space travel film.

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You can never accuse director Danny Boyle of lacking ambition. Sunshine sees one of Britain’s most successful directors switching genre once more, as he tackles this gripping science fiction flick about a quest to re-ignite the dying sun. And he nails it, too, adding another plus to a CV that’s already covered a kids' film (Millions), a big Hollywood blockbuster (The Beach), horror (28 Days Later), and a pair of British classics (Trainspotting and Shallow Grave).

Bursting out of the gate at a terrific pace, Sunshine then doesn’t take its foot off the accelerator for much of its near-two hour running time. Set around the crew of the Icarus II who find themselves on a life-saving mission, things soon start going awry, and while you’ll find no plot spoilers here, Boyle proves a dab hand at ratcheting up tension on the way to the big finale.

If anything, it’s the finale to Sunshine that does let the side down, not quite living up to the standard of what preceded it. But such is the strength of the ride to that point that it’s hard to complain. Especially when the cast, led by the always-magnetic Cillian Murphy, put in believable performances and get heavily into the spirit of the film.

Topped off with cracking effects that belie its modest budget, Sunshine is a real treat, not just for sci-fi fans, but for anyone who likes a strong, tense, thrilling night in front of a movie. --Jon Foster

Aspect Ratio:	16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Director's commentary, Dr. Brian Cox (University of Manchester) commentary, Alternative ending, Deleted scenes, Web production diaries, Short film, Theatrical teaser, Theatrical trailer
Year:	2007
Release Date:	August 27, 2007
Runtime:	107 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	3230501000
Keywords:	English, General, Fiction, Science, Sunshine
Genre:	Science Fiction