Sunshine

Play trailer

1:30

Sunshine

R

Released Jul 27, 2007

1h 47m

Sci-Fi

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

171 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In the not-too-distant future, Earth's dying sun spells the end for humanity. In a last-ditch effort to save the planet, a crew of eight men and women ventures into space with a device that could revive the star. However, an accident, a grave mistake and a distress beacon from a long-lost spaceship throw the crew and its desperate mission into a tailspin.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Danny Boyle continues his descent into mind-twisting sci-fi madness, taking us along for the ride. Sunshine fulfills the dual requisite necessary to become classic sci-fi: dazzling visuals with intelligent action.

Read Critics Reviews

Namrata Joshi

Outlook

The human interaction and tension works, how every single member can be sacrificed for the larger good of the humankind. But the acting is uniformly dull, the cast is deadpan, poker-faced and robotic at best.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 23, 2019

Full Review

David Fear

Time Out

Rated: 3/5

Nov 18, 2011

Full Review

Hank Sartin

Time Out

Rated: 3/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Morgan Shaunette

Willamette Week

There’s beauty in it—Boyle and his team make a near-religious experience of getting up close and personal with the center of our solar system, buoyed by an effervescent score by John Murphy and British techno group Underworld.

Jun 23, 2025

Full Review

Cheryl Eddy

io9.com

Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland carefully seed the early part of the story with hints of the terrors to come.

Jun 20, 2025

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

The reteaming of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland (28 Days Later) delivers an awe-inspiring, gorgeous film with an unexpected genre shift.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 10, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Diet Dr. Paul .

If Danny Boyle isn’t the most underrated director in Hollywood, then I’m not Diet Dr. Paul. And just like its steward, Sunshine is an incredibly underrated Sci-fi Gem. The film is dark, unsettling and completely engrossing! It’s the kind of movie you can rewatch immediately upon completion, with the acting, SFX, and story all being top notch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/09/25

Full Review

Tonya A.

Slow, steady, different, 👍

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/06/25

Full Review

Nate C

Not entirely sure why some of the script decisions were made, whether that was the director or the studio, but mind-blowing cinematography and a banger of a musical score more than overcome any shortcomings in the story structure. I do not understand the criticism of the acting, I thought everyone nailed it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/06/25

Full Review

Ethan A

Solid sci-fi. There were a few aspects that I think could have been done a little better. I don't want to spoil anything so I can't really get into that part of it. I will say that I don't think any crew tasked with saving humanity would have risked it all by stopping at the first ship. They had enough O2 to make it a quarter of the way back so it would have been almost feasible to stop by that ship on the way back in the event that the first bomb didn't work. It was tough to suspend belief for that part. The acting was great and the twist near the end was nice. I would probably sit thru another viewing.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/12/25

Full Review

Anthony B

This was the second time that I watched this movie. It was brilliantly filmed with magnificent sets and wonderful acting . Visually stunning in its presentation. I will watch this again a little later.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/22/25

Full Review

Farah R

Sunshine boats an impressive cast ensemble, and while it builds up ample suspense, the plot derails into ludicrous territory before the end.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/12/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Danny Boyle

Director

Cillian Murphy

Capa

Chris Evans

Mace

Rose Byrne

Cassie

Michelle Yeoh

Corazon

Hiroyuki Sanada

Kaneda

District 9

90%

82%

District 9

Watchlist

TRAILER

for District 9

Immortal (Ad Vitam)

29%

53%

Immortal (Ad Vitam)

Watchlist

Frankenstein Unbound

53%

33%

Frankenstein Unbound

Watchlist

H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds

60%

33%

H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds

Watchlist

Carnosaur

17%

24%

Carnosaur

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

11 Scariest Horror Scenes Set In Daylight

Five Favourite Films with Golden Globe-Winner Danny Boyle

RT on DVD: 3:10 to Yuma, Sunshine Arrive!

Sunshine: Trailer 1

1:30

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

In the not-too-distant future, Earth's dying sun spells the end for humanity. In a last-ditch effort to save the planet, a crew of eight men and women ventures into space with a device that could revive the star. However, an accident, a grave mistake and a distress beacon from a long-lost spaceship throw the crew and its desperate mission into a tailspin.

Director: Danny Boyle
Producer: Andrew Macdonald
Screenwriter: Alex Garland
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: DNA Films, Moving Picture Company, Ingenious Film Partners
Rating: R (Violent Content|Language)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.7M
Runtime: 1h 47m

Most Popular at Home Now