Editorials
Danny Boyle’s ‘Sunshine’ 18 Years Later – A Shining Example of Cosmic Horror Done Right
While we often take it for granted during the rushed blur of our daily lives, a single glance up at the sky should make it pretty obvious why primitive cultures once worshipped the sun. That’s why it’s no surprise that our nearest star has been a prominent figure in storytelling all the way from Egyptian mythology up to modern-day Superman flicks.
While the sun is usually seen as a symbol of life and hope, our solar dependency has also inspired several stories about the terror of no longer being able to rely on its warmth. When it comes to movies, there’s a certain underrated Sci-Fi flick that expertly explores this specific kind of cosmic horror while also serving as an entertaining dive into the darker side of space travel. Naturally, I’m referring to Danny Boyle’s 2007 thriller Sunshine, which is currently celebrating its 18th anniversary.
For those who haven’t seen it, Sunshine follows an ensemble of astronauts on a desperate mission to reignite our dying sun after a previous attempt failed for mysterious reasons. During their arduous trek to the center of the solar system, the aptly named Icarus II happens upon a distress signal from its ill-fated predecessor. After a narrow vote, the crew decides to investigate the anomaly, embarking on a risky detour that could put the fate of humanity in jeopardy.
Once again directing a script from established genre writer (and now celebrated director) Alex Garland, Sunshine was Danny Boyle’s attempt at revitalizing the psychologically focused science fiction stories of the ’60s and ’70s while also challenging himself within a notoriously difficult genre. Borrowing from classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Solaris, the film was meant to explore the human consequences of these scientific breakthroughs rather than the sci-fi spectacle itself.
“At the end of time, a moment will come when just one man remains. Then the moment will pass.”
This focus on the subjective side of the genre also influenced the decision to feature a diverse ensemble cast, with the film bringing together a formidable group of talented thespians to populate the Icarus II. From our physicist protagonist Capa (played by Cillian Murphy in his second collaboration with Boyle after 28 Days Later) to Cliff Curtis’ introspective Dr. Searle, these characters are believable as a desperate group of specialists forced to work together for the greater good. Even the incredibly talented Michelle Yeoh makes an appearance as the crew’s resident botanist, as well as a pre-MCU (but post-Fantastic-Four) Chris Evans.
With the exception of Murphy, which makes sense given Capa’s portrayal as a misunderstood loner, the cast actually lived together before and during production as they immersed themselves in their characters. During this process, the actors benefited from in-depth backstories written by Gia Milinovich, exploring fascinating details like Mace’s (Evans) unspoken romantic feelings for Cassie (Rose Byrne) and expanding on character motivations. To be honest, it’s a shame that many of these elements didn’t really make into the finished picture, as they would have made the crew’s ultimate sacrifice even more impactful.
Of course, I’d argue that the film’s biggest achievement is how it plays with genre expectations, effortlessly transitioning from hard sci-fi to psychological drama and even incorporating slasher elements towards the end of the flick. While it’s not exactly a traditional scary movie, there are undeniable shades of Ridley Scott’s Alien and even a bit of John Carpenter sprinkled throughout the picture, which is why I think it appeals to horror fans.
In fact, the film’s controversial decision to descend into horror during its final act ended up alienating some viewers upon release, but I think it was a brave move that perfectly compliments the script’s musings about nihilism and spirituality. From the antagonist’s sun-induced madness to the bizarre visual filter surrounding his horrific burns (as if the film is suggesting that reality itself is being distorted around Mark Strong’s demented character), there are plenty of elements here that would be right at home in an H.P. Lovecraft story, making Danny Boyle’s Sunshine a quite literal champion of cosmic horror.
“So if you wake up one morning and it’s a particularly beautiful day, you’ll know we made it.”
These existential scares are balanced by hauntingly beautiful moments like Kaneda’s tragic demise and a trippy yet emotional finale. Sunshine also boasts some genuinely iconic sci-fi imagery, with the photography making especially great use of color, often bathing melancholy scenes in an eerie amber glow. Naturally, the movie also contains plenty of “sci-fi porn,” featuring thrilling space walks and futuristic technology that’s often brought to life via optical trickery and clever set design rather than CGI.
The impressive visuals are also boosted by yet another phenomenal score by John Murphy (in his fifth collaboration with Boyle) alongside the electronic music group Underworld. Much like Murphy’s work in 28 Days Later, pieces of Sunshine’s score have found a life of their own in other media as other creators recycled the film’s music for their own purposes. Not only was Adagio in D Minor (also known as The Surface of the Sun) featured in 2009’s Kick-Ass, but it recently showed up in Patty Jenkin’s Wonder Woman 1984, further exemplifying the staying power of this awesome soundtrack.
While some elements of the script don’t quite hold up to scrutiny, like the story’s heavy reliance on plot contrivances and supposedly smart characters acting like spoiled teenagers rather than professional astronauts, I think that there’s an artistry to the experience that mostly makes up for most of these issues. It’s always clear that Boyle is having lots of fun with this unusually large budget, playing around with camera setups and effects in the most imaginative ways possible. This unbridled creativity doesn’t always work, but it results in a film that’s consistently interesting even when it stumbles. It’s also hard to deny the surreal beauty of the flick’s final moments, which I believe are up there with the likes of sci-fi epics like Interstellar and Moon.
Sunshine may not be Danny Boyle’s magnum opus, but I think it’s a shining example of cosmic horror done right and definitely one of my personal favorite entries in the director’s eclectic filmography. As a fan of pulpy sci-fi, I’ve come to accept that minor scientific inaccuracies and flimsy plot points are often irrelevant when dealing with compelling concepts like advanced theoretical physics and metaphysical interpretations of God, and that’s why I’d recommend this ambitious thriller to any fan of existential horror even 18 years later.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on June 10, 2022 for the 15th anniversary.
The problem with filming sequels back-to-back is that, unless you can afford expensive reshoots, there’s no easy way to adjust course in between movies if fans react badly to where the story is headed. That’s why it’s important to have a complete narrative thought out well in advance lest you accidentally kill a budding franchise.
However, this isn’t always the case. Every once in a while, it seems like the cinema gods smile upon certain chaotic productions and gift moviegoers with complete franchises that feel like more than the sum of their hastily produced parts. Ted Nicolaou’s Bloodlust: Subspecies III is precisely one of these miraculous pictures, with the raw talents of the artists involved (as well as the continued support from Romania) turning the feature into an effective conclusion for a series that kind of made things up as the filmmakers went along.
That’s why I’d like to invite my fellow readers to join me on this third part of our journey through the Subspecies franchise as we look into Bloodlust and talk about how it remains a surprisingly satisfying finale to the original trilogy.
A Trilogy Planned on the Fly
Released only a year after Bloodstone found plenty of success in rental stores and mail-in VHS catalogues worldwide, 1994’s Bloodlust was produced at the same time as its predecessor in (mostly) the same locations and with the same team. This means that the movie benefited from all the same upgrades as Bloodstone, with the crew now being more experienced with the ins and outs of surviving a low-budget Romanian production and the cast really settling into their characters.
At this point, everything from location scouting to the makeup process had been streamlined, with Wayne Toth and Norman Cabrera, the main duo behind special effects, even switching out time-consuming prosthetics for latex gloves in order to speed up Anders Hove’s monstrous transformation. The titular “subspecies” demons were also once again relegated to a mere cameo appearance due to the laborious puppetry required to bring them to life.
The only real hiccup came from the fact that actress Denice Duff had replaced the first film’s Michelle (Laura Mae Tate) and was immediately expected to portray the character as both an innocent victim in part II and as a secondary villain in part III. According to behind-the-scenes interviews, the hectic production schedule that blended two different movies meant that Duff would often find herself having to alternate between two incredibly different versions of Michelle during the same shooting day – though it’s obvious that she’s having more fun with Bloodlust’s more traditionally vampiric version of her character.
In the finished film, we pick things up immediately where the previous entry left off as Rebecca (Melanie Shatner) is forced to leave her vampire sister Michelle (Duff) behind in the dungeons of Castle Vladislav due to the rising sun. This allows Mummy (Pamela Gordon) to use Michelle’s blood to revive the vicious Radu (Hove) so that he may continue his quest for the coveted Bloodstone – a magical artifact that perpetually drips the Blood of Saints.
Meanwhile, the dreamy US embassy agent Mel (Kevin Blair) agrees to help Rebecca plan a rescue mission, though they’re unaware that Radu has become infatuated with Michelle during his attempts to guide her growing bloodlust. This all culminates in a climactic confrontation meant to tie up all of the series’ loose ends in one of Full Moon Pictures’ most ambitious productions.
The Evolution of Radu
Like its predecessor, Bloodlust: Subspecies III was also warmly received by fans who argued that the series was an even bigger success than Full Moon’s other major horror franchise, Puppet Master. This praise wasn’t unanimous, however, as 1994 had seen the rise of a more modern breed of sexy vampire popularized by Anne Rice, with old-school Nosferatu like Radu being viewed as obsolete when compared to the likes of Lestat and Gary Oldman’s take on Dracula.
In a way, one might argue that Nicolaou’s film is something of a swan song for the classic vampire story, as Bloodlust combines all of the traditional elements we tend to associate with these tales into a single tragic yarn that ties a neat little bow on Radu’s story as well as the old-fashioned monster movies that he represents. The finale remains shocking despite the fact that this is the third time we see Radu get brutally killed onscreen, with the brief tease that he may one day return feeling more like a nod towards the nature of evil rather than sequel bait.
The film dabbles a bit in gothic romance and even explores the inherent power fantasy behind transforming into an immortal creature of the night, but the filmmakers never lose sight of Radu as a demonic force even when he’s willing to betray his beloved Mummy for Michelle’s sake. In fact, his twisted “love” for his fledgling makes him even creepier as we get the feeling that his passion comes from a dark and disturbing place.
Anders Hove is at his absolute best in this film, with the effects department boosting his moments of what the younger generation would call “aura farming” whenever Radu emerges from shadows like a 90s version of Count Orlok. There are even a couple of surprisingly effective jump-scares here, which is why I’d argue that Bloodlust cements Radu as one of the most memorable cinematic vampires of all time despite his humble origins.
Subspecies Saves Its Best For Last
Nicolaou and Vlad Panescu also saved the best for “last” (more on that in a bit) regarding the film’s visuals, with the cinematography and overall atmosphere of Bloodlust absolutely surpassing what we saw in the previous films. Everything feels appropriately climactic this time around (including the wonderful soundtrack that was co-composed alongside an authentic Romanian orchestra), and I appreciate how this is the fastest-paced entry in the trilogy since the film doesn’t need to waste time setting anything up.
Bloodlust still suffers from some of the same low-budget blemishes as its predecessors, but there’s so much creative passion here that no amount of wonky effects work or stilted dialogue can get in the way of appreciating the flick’s gothic grandeur. That’s why it’s not surprising that the movie’s definitive(-ish) ending would later be retconned as fans begged for more Radu.
Of course, the next entry in this series would be a different kind of vampiric endeavor altogether, with the filmmakers attempting to engage with the same trends that ultimately killed Radu and his antiquated kin. That, however, is a story for another time. For now, I’ll merely insist that Bloodlust: Subspecies III remains a highlight of Full Moon’s expansive catalogue and is definitely worth seeking out today.
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