Sunshine

It shouldn't have to be said that science-fiction isn't solely the preserve of role-playing games enthusiasts and anoraks; but to many that's still the case. At it's best science-fiction asks deep questions about what it means to be human and the search for the transcendence. It may be that the genre allows more of these questions to be asked openly; something to do with the perceived unreality of the setting allowing some questions in 'under the radar'. Films like The Forbidden Planet, Bladerunner and Alien all, in their own ways tackle foundational issues.

Which brings us to Sunshine, the latest from British director Danny Boyle; the man responsible for Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. Set almost exclusively on board a spaceship, it's tells a story 50 years in the future when the sun is dying and a crew has been sent out to launch a bomb at the sun in order to restart it. So far, so Armageddon.

This, however, is an ambitious and symbolism-laden film. The atmosphere is claustrophobic and sections of dialogue spend time debating the nature of existence. Much of the first hour is more akin to the slow, considered complexities of Solaris than an effects-laden blockbuster. Even though the film looks fantastic, this didn't have an unlimited budget. It's a $40 million picture that looks much more than that.

As the director has stated in publicising the film, the constrained budget encouraged rather than limited creativity, and it shows. The first bulk of it is never less than gripping - even, or especially, when characters are sitting around a table talking. The scene where two characters go out to repair the damaged ship against the encroaching tide of unbearable sunlight is frightening, gripping and awe-inspiringly beautiful all at the same time. The symbolism is neatly ironic too; the ship's sun-shields are consist of the major portion of the world's gold reserves melted together. The wealth of the nations boiled down in a last ditch survival attempt, to protect a ship named Icarus 2. More could have been made of this, but such restraint allows the point to hibernate in the viewers mind and come back to haunt like virus in hibernation.

In the final act the film takes a turn into Alien territory, while still trying to talk about God. This comes as something of a surprise, and the plot development feels forced. I heard more than one or two confused comments as we left the cinema, all saying that they weren't entirely sure what had happened and why. The British director is clearly in thrall to Ridley Scott's masterpiece, and while he clearly thinks the transition to more traditional - if stylish - thrills is of a piece with what has gone before, it still jars.

None of this stops Sunshine from being one of the likely films of the year. Danny Boyle is one of the most stimulating directors around, and every film of his shows a new dimension and a willingness to take risks. Here, though, it's hard to shake the feeling that the confusion of the final third is an attempt to play-it-safe and lure in the popcorn munchers. Of course there's nothing wrong with that wish; but his other films like 28 Days Later and Trainspotting have proved that sticking to your principles can mean both artistic and commercial success. As a result, Sunshine is merely excellent rather than dazzling.