A 2007 sci-fi thriller directed by Danny Boyle (M)
The setting is 50 years in the future and planet Earth is a snowball. Our Sun is dying and it is up to a team of top scientists to reignite it by delivering a stellar bomb to its core. The story follows the crew of the Icarus II and their mission to deliver the payload . This is the second attempt after the disappearance of the Icarus I and its crew. During its journey, The Icarus II encounters the silent Icarus I, and upon exploring the seemingly empty craft, the crew find the ashen remains of their ill-fated predecessors in a small room facing the full unshielded brunt of the sun. Upon reboarding their ship, the Icarus II they discover that they are no longer alone.
Now it may seem a little premature, the death of our sun only 50 years into the future, (Considering that most scientists predict the Sun to have about another 5 Billion years or so before it begins to expire) however the film’s science adviser, Professor Brian Cox states that the scenario becomes plausible if the Sun had encountered a ‘Q-ball’ and as such was being eaten away. Unfortunately, this is not stated in the film (Only in the director’s commentary and online) however, Brian Cox has since cheekily noted that the film wasn’t intended as a documentary, so a little artistic license is to be expected.
Despite the title of the film, the dark tones work well to create a rising tension throughout. The special effects are used well and are always appropriate to the scene, without getting overblown or outrageous as some space movies have a tendency to do. The minimalism extends to the acting which is restrained in the most part. The movie is enjoyable and the thrilling ending is a suitable pay-off for the events that lead up to it.
| Stars: | 4/5 |
|---|---|
| Best Bits: | Professor Brian Cox’s contributions, a star studded cast, great CGI. |
| Worst Bits: | The Plot has a few unanswered questions. |
| Watch if you liked: | Event Horizon, and 28 Days later |
| Available on: | ITunes |
