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Sunshine

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Grim, intellectual space adventure. Not for kids.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Crewmembers argue with each other and show selfishness, then support each other absolutely when faced with a larger threat.
  • Violence:

    Several startlingly bloody and harsh images. Two male astronauts fight with each other a couple of times (hard-hitting fists and grunts); discovery of dead bodies in another ship (they're mostly shadowy, and have burned to death); an astronaut floats loose in space, his death by freezing shown graphically and briefly (face shatters, then blood shatters); a crewmember has nightmares of falling into the sun; a crewmember slashes his wrists off-screen, with his bloody remains explicitly displayed; extended killing sequence by the figure the crew meets at the end includes bloody stabbing (bloody handprints and splashes all over walls and windows), freezing in liquid, fighting and running, falling; eventual bomb explosion into the sun comprises a lengthy scene, very bright light, lots of flames.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Language indicating anger and fear: mostly "f--k" (at least 15 instances), plus fewer uses of "bitch," "s--t," and "hell."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Sunshine was written by Cynthia Fuchs

Parents need to know that this film isn't for kids; in addition to some brief, very violent scenes, it features extended discussions of intellectual and philosophical issues. Violence includes shots showing the effects of intense sunlight on human flesh (burned, bubbly, and scarred), a couple of vigorous fistfights between crewmembers, the very affecting death of a crewmember who is accidentally loosed in space (he freezes, face in close-up, and his face and then his shatter); a suicide victim appears so his slashed wrists are visible and blood is everywhere (crewmembers display upset); bodies in previous ship appear huddled together and burned to ash; final chase/fight is extended and violent; final explosions are fiery, loud, and devastating (also rather poetic). There are repeated uses of "f--k," with some other profanity.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about the difficulties of traveling in space for long periods: How do these astronauts contend with their loneliness, competition, rising tensions, and difficult decisions? How does the film show the structure among the crewmembers, across race, age, and gender differences? What do you think about the possibility of the mission succeeding? They can also talk about science fiction in general and what makes a good sci-fi flick.
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More on Sunshine

What’s the Story?

It's 2057, and, as narrator Capa (Cillian Murphy) puts it, "Our sun is dying." In order save the earth, Capa and seven other astronauts board the spaceship Icarus II on a mission involving a stellar bomb. After a 16 month journey, they enter the "dead zone" (no more communication with earth) and discover the first Icarus, lost seven years earlier: Should they check it out, recover the ship's bomb, or just pass it by? The decisions they make are shaped by errors in calculations and guesses at their own futures. Arguments increase as options dwindle. Engineer Mace (Chris Evans) gets into psychical altercations with Capa; biologist Corazon (Michelle Yeoh) guards her greenhouse, and comm officer Harvey (Troy Garity) blames others for what goes wrong. As Captain Kaneda (Hiroyuki Sanada) tries to keep the crew on track, the pilot Cassie (Rose Byrne) complains of the occasional "excess of manliness." Yet they need to work together if they want to survive.

Is It Any Good?

The premise might make Danny Boyle's SUNSHINE sound like another coming of Armageddon. It is in fact not an action flick at all, but a study of personalities, philosophies, and ethics, with a bit of Alien-like horror in the mix as well. The utter vastness of the space around them is contrasted repeatedly with shots of their narrow interiors -- long, white-walled walkways; close, dark sleeping quarters; the observation deck, where the sun, viewed even at only 1 percent strength, is overwhelmingly bright.

Knowing they are "expendable" in pursuit of saving the world, the crew begins to see each other differently. And this is the beauty of the film, its mediation on seeing and visual poetry. Though the plot turns a little silly by the end, the imagery remains magnificent.

Movie Details

Studio: Fox Searchlight, Director: Danny Boyle
Run time: 107 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/20/2007, DVD release: 1/8/2008
MPAA Rating: R for violent content and language.

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0

    beautiful!!! my favourite sci fi!!! I saw it too young, though!!!

    My favourite movie of all time! I'd call it on for 14, cause I saw it at 12 and the only issues were cussing and the (SPOILER ALERT!!!) suicide of Trey, and frozen Harvey... If you think your kid can understand the psychology of the characters' violence and plentiful cussing (f---ing s--t b--ch a--hole), and still get the beautiful story of humanity's greatest sacrifices, then I'd say to let them see it. Under 13- one might get some serious bad vibes. No go.

  2. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Iowa
    Kids ages: 6, 10, 12, 16
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Alaska
    I rate this title on and give it 5.0

    I loved this movie!

    This is probably one of the awsomest movies i've ever scene! its very good. i think everyone should see it!!

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on and give it 4.0

    An excellant film

    Wow. Up until the plot twist in the last quarter of the movie, Sunshine was, in my mind, one of the best Sci-fi movies I had seen in a long time. That is, until the movie turns into a slasher flick and becomes confusing and muddled. The scene that involved ripping the fleswh off of one charactor's arm was particularly over the top. However, this movie highlighted a flaw in the rating system. Because there were a few F bombs dropped, it was given an R rating. Think of it as a violent PG-13.

  5. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Alabama
    I rate this title on and give it 5.0

    I real sci fi movie! and kind of original too

    I thought this movie was really good. There is nothing in it you wouldn't see or hear in a PG-13 movie except a few F words. It is kind of slow so little kids probably wouldn't like it anyway but for teens it is interesting. I want to own it

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