Review #1,102: 'Sunshine' (2007)

Danny Boyle's under-performing attempt to rekindle audience interest in the philosophical sci-fi genre so successful in the 1970s plays out very much like an object hurtling towards the Sun - thrilling, dazzling and often overwhelming at first, before quickly burning out and being swallowed up by the enormity of the themes it attempts to explore. 2007's Sunshine ponders a future in which humanity is facing extinction as the Sun powering the planet is burning itself out. A last-gasp mission sees the crew of Icarus II travel for five years through space with a bomb the size of Manhattan in the hope of reigniting the Sun's flames.

Of course, there was also an Icarus I, captained by a man named Pinbacker (Mark Strong), which disappeared seven years earlier carrying out the same mission. When a distress signal is picked up from the lost ship, the crew of Icarus II, captained by the enigmatic Kaneda (Hiroyuki Sanada), are faced with the dilemma of either carrying on with their mission, or answering the call and picking up a second bomb in the process, and therefore doubling their chances of saving humanity. Physicist Capa (Cillian Murphy) makes the decision to set a new course, much to the frustration of level-headed engineer Mace (Chris Evans). However, navigator Trey (Benedict Wong) forgets to realign the ship's shield as it changes course, throwing the entire mission into jeopardy.

The film captures the claustrophobia and restlessness of the cramped surroundings and characters incredibly well. The crew often feel as if they are hunched over, as if being slowly swallowed up by the deadly beast that is their destination. Even the on-board garden, a self-sustaining eco-system which supplies the ship's oxygen, tended to by botanist Corazon (Michelle Yeoh), feels oddly suffocating. Boyle's trademark eye for visuals also helps give the film a sweaty, scolding vibe. An entire room on the Icarus II seems to be dedicated solely to appreciating the Sun's sheer power, as the crew, in particular psychiatrist Searle (Cliff Curtis), sit and stair in utter awe. Sunshine begins rather slow, but Boyle takes this time to sculpt an incredible sense of atmosphere.

Boyle's desire to contemplate the larger questions is ultimately the film's downfall. In the early scenes, the mere presence of the Sun looming just behind that massive shield and the way Boyle captures it is enough to start audience's comparing the star's influence to that of God, and the crew's mission to save humanity by conquering something of such unfathomable power has enough religious connotations on its own. The climax sees the arrival of a mysterious being on the ship that may or may not be supernatural, and it just doesn't work. A lot was written at the time about the Sunshine's descent into slasher territory, and although I can applaud the attempt to muddle genres and take the story in a completely different direction, I have to agree with the criticism. Instead of inviting discussion as the credits roll, it simply left me disappointed at the squandered potential.


Directed by: Danny Boyle
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Troy Garity, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cliff Curtis, Benedict Wong, Mark Strong
Country: UK/USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #130: 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (2011)

And so the battle between Pixar and Dreamworks rages on. Dreamworks have been somewhat in the shadow of it's rival in the recent years, only managing average output such as Shark Tale (2004), Over The Hedge (2006) and Madagascar (2005), while Pixar have been formidable with the likes of The Incredibles (2004), the Toy Story trilogy (1995-2010), and WALL-E (2008), all of which could easily be called masterpieces. But Dreamworks had something up it's own sleeve back in 2008 with the extremely funny and enjoyable Kung Fu Panda, which was a huge success for the studio. And three years on, the more-than-welcome sequel arrives, and it's really rather good.

After establishing himself as the Dragon Warrior in the first film, Po (Jack Black) heads the Furious Five, consisting of Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross). All is well, as the powerful group easily dispose of any potential threat to the relm, under the watchful eye of Shifu (Dustin Hoffman). Po is seeking out answers to his birth, when he realises that his father Mr. Ping (James Hong) couldn't possibly be his biological parent, what with being a goose and all. But there is a new threat in town, and he is in the form of peacock Shen (Gary Oldman), who is stealing all the scrap metal he can to aid his new powerful weapon, which could see the end of Po and kung-fu.

The thing that appealed most about the first film was it's genuine affection for kung-fu and China. It used Chinese-style animation in one sequence, and some traditional drawing in the end credits. Plus the action scenes were better than the majority of real-life action films, combining thrilling action with slapstick comedy to good effect. Here, they've changed into second gear, and the action is twice as ambitious, and twice as impressive. The epic climax sees many kung-fu warriors, including our heroes battle Shen's army, and I've not been as excited while watching an action scene since the hotel corridor scene in Inception (2010). And in showing Po's childhood, they've created another beautifully drawn sequence that uses China's traditional paintings as its influence.

Thankfully, the sequel is not a mere re-tread of the original. The fat jokes are kept to a minimum, the scope is expanded, and they've developed Po's story in revealing his childhood. One of the main things that concerned me was that it may miss Ian McShane, who for me stole the first film as the menacing Tai Lung. But in Gary Oldman, they've created a different sort of villain. Just as menacing as Tai Lung, he is not half the warrior, but he possesses something that Po and the Furious Five may be helpless against - a big gun.

Not quite as good as the original - it lacks the freshness and under-uses Dustin Hoffman's kung-fu master - but a more than worthy follow-up. It even manages to make Jack Black likeable, who after years of playing the same character in shit films (not including The School of Rock (2003)), wears me down. And the sheer number of talented actors that have been brought in (apart from the already mentioned, there's also Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Haysbert, Danny McBride and Michelle Yeoh) shows that the film is puffing it's chest out at Pixar. I'll be looking forward to the inevitable third instalment, and hoping it can carry on impressing.


Directed by: Jennifer Yuh
Voices: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, James Hong, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Michelle Yeoh
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie