There’s a really strong science fiction movie on TV tonight. In Sunshine, Danny Boyle brings several genres together to create an exciting space odyssey.
Few filmmakers jump back and forth between different genres as elegantly as Danny Boyle. The British director celebrated his international breakthrough with the drug drama Trainspotting. In the years that followed, he made one unexpected film and career decision after another.
From the Bollywood homage Slumdog Millionaire to the zombie horror 28 Days Later to the mindfuck thriller Trance – Dangerous Memory: Boyle even filmed the life of Steve Jobs and made a Beatles romcom with Yesterday. And then there’s the outstanding sci-fi film Sunshine.
Great sci-fi movie: in Sunshine, the sun dies and humanity makes one last attempt to save itself
The story of Sunshine sets in the year 2057. The sun is dying and humanity fears for its survival on Earth. For this reason, a mission is sent out: The Icarus is to reignite the sun. But then the spaceship disappears without a trace in the darkness of space. A second mission is launched.
Here you can watch the trailer for Sunshine:
Fortaneously, we find ourselves aboard the Icarus II. It quickly becomes clear that we’re not just following a mix of science fiction and end times. Boyle adds mystery and psychological thriller elements to the plot, venturing into real horror territory with existentialist overtones in between, and finally ending on an absolutely epic note.
Although Icarus II heads straight for the sun, the film hits several genre hooks and changes tone consistently. The great thing is, Boyle manages to convincingly bring together the many different influences in a nail-biting story. Sunshine captivates until the very last second.
