هل أنت من محبي الخيال العلمي؟ لا تفوت مشاهدة هذه الأفلام الـ10 المدهشة
Wall-E-2008 ... أفضل وصف لفيلم Wall-E هو أنه "سوداوي جداً" و"برع في التنبؤ بالمستقبل". ففي الفيلم، يتسبب تفشي النزعة الاستهلاكية في خسارة كوكب ...
Apr 20, 2023
Sunshine
وفي منتصف الفيلم، تتغير الحبكة تماماً بفضل تطور صادم وغير متوقع، ما يحول <anchor>Sunshine</anchor> إلى فيلم رعب شبيه بفيلم Event Horizon. وهذا التغيير المفاجئ في سير الأحداث كان من الممكن أن يخرج عن مساره ويفسد الفيلم بأكمله، ولكن بفضل السيناريو وفريق الممثلين الرائعين، زاد هذا التغيير فيلم Sunshine إثارة. وبعد حصوله على إصدار محدود في معظم البلدان (ومنها الولايات المتحدة)، حقق الفيلم نجاحاً قوياً في سوق الإيجار، فأصبح من الأفلام الكلاسيكية المفضلة لدى عشاق هذا النوع من الأفلام حتى يومنا هذا.
Sunshine is the best sci-fi movie you've never heard of | Digital Trends
Sunshine is the best sci-fi movie you've never heard of \| Digital Trends [Skip to main content](#h-maincontent)

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# Danny Boyle’s Sunshine is the best sci-fi movie you’ve never heard of

By
[David Caballero](https://www.digitaltrends.com/users/dcaballero/)
Updated August 16, 2022

The sci-fi genre is thriving. From acclaimed Oscar-winning films like [Denis Villeneuve’s _Dune_](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/dune-review/) to ambitious and original entries like [Jordan Peele’s latest movie, _Nope_](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/nope-jordan-peele-movie-review/), the genre is experiencing what fantasy went through in the noughties: a wave of enthusiastic support from the industry and audiences alike. Television is also in the sci-fi game, with hits like _Stranger Things_ and _Severance_ scoring with critics and becoming fan favorites among viewers.

Contents

- [Born to blossom, bloom to perish](#dt-heading-born-to-blossom-bloom-to-perish)
- [Not a nobody, not yet a star](#dt-heading-not-a-nobody-not-yet-a-star)
- [The perfect sci-fi?](#dt-heading-the-perfect-sci-fi)

Yes, the genre is more popular than ever, and we might very well be heading toward a full-blown sci-fi renaissance in television, film, and literature. Perhaps if Danny Boyle’s underrated _Sunshine_ had come out in this sci-fi-loving environment, it might have been acknowledged for the masterpiece it is. Instead, _Sunshine_ came out in 2007, a time of spectacle and mind-numbing escapism when audiences weren’t feeling its brand of thought-provoking, almost philosophical gloom and doom. And so _Sunshine_ slipped through the cracks, barely making an impression in cinemas. _Sunshine_ grossed a disappointing [$34 million](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2406647297/) against a production budget of [$40 million](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Sunshine-(2007)#tab=summary). That’s a flop if there ever was one. And it’s not like it gained new life on DVD; on the contrary, _Sunshine_ died, much like the sun in its daring plot, and no bomb or heroic crew rescued it from its doom.

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And what a shame. _Sunshine_ is far from a perfect film, but it never tries to be one. It avoids in-your-face storytelling, instead going for evocation, trying to elicit intense emotions from its reluctant audience. But audiences didn’t want to experience a film that ends with **\[spoiler alert!\]** the deaths of the entire main cast — some of whom went on to become A-listers — and a parting message that’s equally depressing and hopeful.

## Born to blossom, bloom to perish

![Capa looking intently in Sunshine.](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)Image used with permission by copyright holder

_Sunshine_ wasn’t Boyle’s first crack at sci-fi. Six years earlier, his breakthrough hit, the zombie apocalypse horror film _28 Days Later_, wowed critics and audiences all the way to an [$85 million](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0289043/) international box office against a measly $8 million budget. The film cemented Boyle as a scrappy director who could deliver big-budget spectacle on a budget, making him an obvious choice to direct a big Hollywood sci-fi film.

Fox’s specialty brand, Fox Searchlight Pictures, paired Boyle’s unique style with the grandiose words of Alex Garland, who also wrote the script for _28 Days Later_. Pairing the two key components of _28 Days Later_ with five times the budget seemed to be a surefire way to get five times the zombie film’s box office, right? Not quite. Say what you will about Garland and Boyle, but their approach isn’t exactly “commercial.”

Indeed, Boyle’s blatant attempts at commercial filmmaking — _Sunshine_, _127 Hours_, _Trance_ — have fallen short of expectations mainly because Boyle can’t seem to reconcile his interests with the nature of blockbuster entertainment. Ironically, those projects in which Boyle is unashamedly Boyle — _Slumdog Millionaire,_ both Trainspotting films, and, surprisingly, _Yesterday_ — became sleeper hits at the multiplex.

Sunshine (2007) - Trailer

_Sunshine_ got caught up somewhere between Boyle’s interests as a storyteller and his ambitions as a filmmaker. The film features a plot that’s slightly more demanding than your average blockbuster — Garland is a notoriously challenging writer, but Boyle does very little to make his words more digestible. Even so, it’s not like _Sunshine_ is intentionally difficult or provocative. _Sunshine_ is not _Annihilation_, and it never tries to be. However, it’s also not _Armaggedon_, or even _Contact_ either. Not quite auteur-driven, but not exactly commercial catnip, _Sunshine_ is a weird attempt at reconciling the two. Suffice it to say, it fails.

Even if _Sunshine_ fails from a narrative perspective, it’s impossible to deny that it is a soaring triumph from a visual standpoint. _Sunshine_ looks and feels beautiful, awe-inspiring, grand, and impressive. At a time when $250 million blockbusters look objectively ugly and disappointing, _Sunshine_ stands out as a technical marvel, proof that magic can happen when a gifted filmmaker receives a decent budget.

They say the visuals are the key to a successful blockbuster, so why didn’t they help _Sunshine_ succeed? There’s a large conversation happening about auteur filmmakers and [whether there’s a place for them in blockbuster cinema](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/auteur-movie-directors-future-hollywood/). The recent release of _The Batman_ and _Dune_ seems to suggest there is; however, the argument goes back to square one when films like _Matrix Resurrections_ and _The Northman_ flop at the box office.

## Not a nobody, not yet a star

![The cast of Sunshine with the sun burning behind them.](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)Fox Searchlight

Movie stars are vital to Hollywood’s success. Today’s cinematic landscape proves that movie stars are still necessary, especially since nowadays they are scarce and selective. Sandra Bullock’s star power led _The Lost City_ to [$190 million](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt13320622/) worldwide, including an impressive $105 million domestic gross. And Tom Cruise’s brand of daring deeds helped _Top Gun: Maverick_ defy all expectations, grossing [$1.3 billion](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1745960/) and counting.

It’s never wise to discount the importance of movie stars, especially when it comes to original ideas and thinking-person’s cinema. Would _Arrival_ have made it past the [$200 million](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3195962881/) mark had it not had Amy Adams as the star? How important was Matt Damon for _The Martian_‘s gargantuan [$630 million](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt3659388/) box office? Ditto with DiCaprio in _Inception_ and Bullock (again!) in _Gravity_. Movie stars are crucial for original movies, and _Sunshine_ had zero. Nothing. Nada.

Cillian Murphy is a gifted and charismatic actor, but he’s not a movie star, despite Hollywood’s best efforts. The actor is an excellent supporting player and a leading man ideal for television. However, he lacks the charisma to be a genuine movie star. The film’s supporting cast is full of recognizable faces that would go on to find great success later on — Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, Benedict Wong, Mark Strong, freaking Chris Evans. The names keep coming, one familiar face after the other. But none of them were movie stars then; hell, most aren’t movie stars _now_.

Chris Evans as "Mace" in Sunshine (2007)

Yeoh and Evans were the most famous of the lot — curiously, they are also the most famous now. However, their roles play second-fiddle to Murphy’s character, and the film makes it clear that they are, if not disposable, at least unnecessary for the third act. Everyone else is even more sidelined, with only Byrne and Strong standing out; she’s the closest thing to a female lead, and he’s Mark Strong, so he’s logically playing the bad guy.

Perhaps that was _Sunshine_‘s true mistake; not having a movie star that could burn as brightly as the sun does in the film. How different would things have gone if, instead of Murphy, there had been a DiCaprio or a Denzel Washington in the lead? _Sunshine_‘s budget wouldn’t have been $40 million, let me tell you that much. However, someone like Orlando Bloom — then in the middle of his _Pirates of the Caribbean_ fame and with enough star power to help Ridley Scott’s 2005 epic _Kingdom of Heaven_ cross the [$200 million](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1448904193/) mark –might’ve made more sense. Perhaps the extra $10 million would’ve been worth it.

## The perfect sci-fi?

![A man standing in front of the sun in Sunshine](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)Searchlight Pictures

In six words or less, _Sunshine_ is a near-perfect film. Gripping, thrilling, profound, and ambitious to a fault, _Sunshine_ is an exercise in escalation. Steering away from classic sci-fi tropes, the film presents a deeply humanistic look into a technology-obsessed genre _._ _Sunshine_ presents the struggle of humanity against itself, concluding in a decidedly bleak third act that successfully drives its point home, even as it degenerates into the very same tropes it initially tries to subvert.

So why is _Sunshine_ so underrated? The film had a fate worse than infamy because _Sunshine_ is forgettable. No one talks about it or even remembers it, and that’s a genuine disservice to sci-fi, especially in a decade where the genre offered few worthy entries. By going for a more grounded and reflective approach, _Sunshine_ shot itself in the foot and doomed its prospects and legacy. Because who wants quiet introspection from a sci-fi blockbuster? Not many people then, and even fewer now.

And that’s _Sunshine_‘s one fault. It is nearly perfect, but by choosing restraint and favoring humanism over tech ideals, it puts itself at a disadvantage, especially in the massive and escapist world of science fiction. _Sunshine_‘s flaw is a distinctive lack of vanity and spectacle. Even as it succumbs to formulaic storytelling in the third act, it can’t overcome its initial timid approach. In a cruel twist of fate, what makes _Sunshine_ unique is what dooms it to oblivion.

Quentin Tarantino on Sunshine \[2009\]

Even so, the film is worth your time. Cinephiles and sci-fi aficionados will have already watched; indeed, one famous cinephile has raved about it, and has advocated for its place in the sci-fi classics pantheon. But casual viewers have sunned the film because of its forgotten status. If you’re willing to pay the [$3.99 on Apple](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/sunshine/umc.cmc.kjbya937j82mxlexdhbh3rg1) or [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Cillian-Murphy/dp/B000ZHS3E8) and give this unicorn of a film a chance, you probably won’t regret it. _Sunshine_ is singular and pretty memorable once you give it a chance to wow you with its unique approach.

So what if it lacks the tense, claustrophobic quality of Ridley Scott’s _Alien_ or the timeless quality of Stanley Kubrick’s _2001: A Space Odyssey_? _Sunshine_ has other things going for it, including a distinctive take on sci-fi dystopia and an ending so bittersweet it will leave viewers feeling a knot in their stomachs. And who wouldn’t want to watch _that_?

#### Editors’ Recommendations

- [7 obscure sci-fi movies from the 1980s you need to watch](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/7-obscure-sci-fi-movies-from-the-1980s-you-need-to-watch/)

Topics

- [Features](https://www.digitaltrends.com/topic/features/)

![David Caballero](image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)

[David Caballero](https://www.digitaltrends.com/users/dcaballero/)

Freelance Writer

[linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-sánchez-caballero-b9832a84) [twitter](https://twitter.com/davidscaballer2) [Email](javascript:void(0))

David is a Mexican freelance writer with a deep appreciation for words. After three years in the cold world of Marketing…

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3 rom-coms on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in September

![A young woman with pink hair peers at her pink phone that shows lips pushing through paper in Under the Influencer.](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)

If summer is the season of love, is fall the season of rom-coms? If so, there are quality rom-com films you can check out on Amazon Prime Video. These range from classics to new movies, foreign films, and more.

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to this streaming service. If you’re looking for a little help, we have you covered. We scour what’s available each month to bring you exciting choices, from movies you’d never think of watching to ones you didn’t know were available. This month, these are three rom-coms on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in September.

French Girl (2024)

French Girl \| Official Trailer - Vanessa Hudgens, Zach Braff \| Paramount Movies

[Read more](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/3-rom-coms-amazon-prime-video-watch-september/)

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5 most popular Netflix movies of summer 2024, ranked

![Jessica Alba in "Trigger Warning."](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)

For many, summer is a time when families go out together and enjoy themselves at the local movie theater. However, with the rise of Netflix and its constant supply of classic and original blockbusters, cinema in the summer has changed dramatically. As audiences choose to stay in to stream their favorite films, Netflix has become a go-to option for people hoping to beat the heat.

This sunny season, in particular, saw multiple movies take Netflix users by storm. While not all of them were critical hits, they succeeded in making the platform's Top 10 List and racking up tens of millions of views. Now that the summer of 2024 is nearing its end, it's time to rank the five most popular Netflix movies of the season.

[Read more](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/5-most-popular-netflix-movies-of-summer-2024-ranked/)

- [Entertainment](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/)

7 best Winona Ryder movies, ranked

![Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)

Winona Ryder’s reprisal of the role of Lydia Deetz -- now mother to a teenage daughter -- in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice marks a turning point in her career. Making her film debut at 15, Ryder was Hollywood’s defining teenager for much longer than she actually was a teenager (she was playing 18 as late as age 28).

Her vaunted innocence was so much the rule that a simple shoplifting arrest in 2001 shut down her career for half a decade. Now, as she settles into the role of perpetual on-screen mom in the aftermath of Stranger Things, seems an appropriate time to reflect on the variegated career that’s brought us here.

7\. Beetlejuice (1988)

[Read more](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/best-winona-ryder-movies-ranked/)

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