‘Sunshine’: Courage amidst cosmic chaos (2007)

(April 15, 2007, PDI-Entertainment)
By Oliver M. Pulumbarit
Contributor

The cerebral science fiction drama “Sunshine” suggests that humans just won’t take no for an answer, even when it seems that the end of the world is at hand. That’s true, at least, for future human beings in the movie, who send a handful of some of the earth’s greatest minds to re-ignite the fast-dying sun. The mission is ambitious but not impossible, as they’re well-equipped and focused to do just that. The stalwart space-farers of the defiantly named Icarus II, however, just need to learn to co-exist with each other. It’s a task that’s much easier said than done.

Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland reunite after the terrifying “28 Days Later,” this time presenting another take on human co-existence through this diverse space crew, and the unforeseen challenges that bar them from finishing their appointed task. It’s a given to side with the characters in this gargantuan undertaking; it really is man-versus- nature on a cosmic scale, with the fate of billions in these scientists’ and astronauts’ hands.

Boyle and Garland’s latest collaboration is made affecting by moral dilemmas, too. How justifiable is it to kill one man in exchange for the survival of humanity? For some of the characters, it’s not that hard a question to answer, but others may not see it that way, especially when the one to be murdered is a fellow crew member. Also, when faced with the possibility of impending death, another person wouldn’t willingly sacrifice his life for the greater good. It goes to show that heroism isn’t natural to everyone, and understandably so, especially when self-preservation instinctively takes over.

Chris Evans, whose previous uber-jock roles may lead you to believe that he’s not versatile, credibly fits the take-charge engineer, Mace, who periodically locks horns with the other team members. He stands out among the science geeks, as he’s the uncharacteristically commanding and smoldering nerd, which can be both annoying and impressive.

Michelle Yeoh, meanwhile, proves again that she can act minus her smooth martial arts moves. She plays the low-key but sensible biologist Corazon, while Cillian Murphy, who previously worked with Boyle in “28 Days Later,” astutely portrays the conflicted but optimistic physicist, Capa.

Boyle isn’t afraid to take risks, unsurprisingly. He tells the story with clarity, but deliberately breaks that flow later by inserting brief, disconcerting images and silhouettes in key scenes to disturb the viewer. It feels a little forced at first but after the first few times, you’ll trust him enough to pull off what he’s planning, and he does. And, since the repeated infighting of the Icarus crew can only take the story so far, an actual antagonist is introduced, and that’s when the movie starts to feel a bit like the ‘90s science fiction-horror flick “Event Horizon.”

This is when things become a little hokey, as this unwelcome new passenger wreaks all kinds of expected havoc. Those parts go through the motions, but this belated chaos enhances the film’s profundity by adding that arbitrary element that makes the surviving characters question their calculations. And ultimately, “Sunshine” entertainingly succeeds in conveying just how stubborn--and heroic--people can get, especially when faced with unbelievable adversity.