Sunshine 2007

As the clock strikes 2050, humanity’s very existence is imperiled by an unforeseen threat: dark energy has infiltrated the sun, threatening to plunge Earth into a catastrophic ice age. In a desperate bid to salvage the planet, scientists devise a radical plan: a prototype spacecraft, Icarus I, will transport an experimental stellar bomb payload equivalent in mass to Manhattan Island, aiming to flush out the infection and re-stabilize the sun’s fiery core. Alas, this inaugural mission falters, leaving the fate of all life hanging precariously in the balance.

Seven years later, a second attempt is launched with Icarus II, crewed by an eclectic assortment of experts: Dr. Robert Capa (Cillian Murphy), the brilliant physicist orchestrating the final calculations for payload deployment and detonation; Captain Kaneda (Hiroyuki Sanada), the resolute leader driving the mission forward; Mace (Chris Evans), the no-nonsense engineer bringing a military perspective to the endeavor; Dr. Searle (Cliff Curtis), the ship’s counselor and medical officer; Cassie (Rose Byrne), the pilot serving as the crew’s emotional anchor; Trey (Benedict Wong), the tech-savvy navigator; Harvey (Troy Garity), the first officer and communication specialist; and Corazón (Michelle Yeoh), the botanist responsible for maintaining the oxygen garden that sustains both food and atmospheric recycling during the arduous journey.

As Icarus II approaches the sun, solar noise dubbed “the dead zone” begins to disrupt radio communications with Earth. With just 24 hours remaining before silence descends, the crew must frantically gather their thoughts and transmit a farewell message packet to loved ones back on the planet. Capa struggles to articulate his sentiments, making multiple attempts at his message while inadvertently running out the clock on Mace. Tensions simmer beneath the surface as a fight erupts between the two, only to be temporarily diffused by Mace’s apology. Searle intervenes, dispatching Mace to the “Earth” room, a simulated sensory experience designed to soothe and revitalize.

The crew reconvenes to assess their progress, with Corazón noting that despite being just two-thirds of the way to their destination, the oxygen garden has surpassed expectations, storing up a surplus of breathable air for both the delivery mission and the return journey.

As Searle stands at the viewport of Icarus II, his gaze is transfixed on the approaching sun, a fascination that borders on obsession. The AI’s (voice of Chipo Chung) cautionary warning about the limitations of human tolerance to the intense light fails to deter him, and he sets the system for a 30-second exposure at a rate that is mere fractions of the actual intensity. The experience has an undeniable impact on Searle, who becomes increasingly entranced by the view, spending hours in the viewing room, repeatedly subjecting himself to the solar radiation. His skin begins to peel away, and sores cover his face, a grim testament to the blurring of lines between fascination and madness.

Meanwhile, Captain Kaneda delves into the video logs of Captain Pinbacker (Mark Strong), seeking answers about the catastrophic failure of the original Icarus mission. One particular log catches his attention - Pinbacker’s subdued reaction to a small meteor storm that caused superficial damage is puzzling, leaving Kaneda wondering what secrets lie hidden beneath the surface.

As Icarus II approaches Mercury, Harvey picks up a faint signal from the distress beacon of the ill-fated Icarus I. The amplified signal, courtesy of Mercury’s iron-rich mass, suggests that some survivors may still be present on the stranded ship. Captain Kaneda presents this discovery to his crew, sparking debate about whether their mission should be altered to respond to the distress call.

Mace is adamant that their primary objective - delivering the bomb - takes precedence over any potential humanitarian gesture. Dr. Searle agrees with Mace’s assessment but proposes a compromise: diverting to Icarus I could potentially add a second payload, albeit theoretically, given that these bombs have never been detonated before. He argues that having two payloads would provide an insurance policy against unforeseen complications. The discussion becomes increasingly heated, until Captain Kaneda intervenes, deferring the decision to Capa, their nuclear physicist, who is best equipped to assess the situation.

As Capa grapples with the weight of his decision, he confides in Captain Kaneda (played by) about the inadequacy of their information. The captain’s trusted pilot is torn between making an informed choice and succumbing to chance, ultimately suggesting that flipping a coin would be the best course of action. When Trey asks if the outcome will be heads or tails, Capa reveals his plan: two attempts are better than one, with the potential for greater success.

The captain makes a decisive call, ordering both Icarus crafts to rendezvous in space. Trey plots their course, carefully checking and rechecking the calculations. However, in his meticulousness, he overlooks a crucial detail - the need to adjust the heat shield that safeguards the ship from the sun’s intense radiation. This oversight is only discovered when the ship’s computer sounds an emergency alert due to slight damage caused by Trey’s mistake.

In response to this crisis, Captain Kaneda calls for a volunteer to accompany him on an ill-fated spacewalk to repair the damaged heat shield. Initially refusing Mace permission to join them, Kaneda instead chooses Capa, seemingly as a direct result of his earlier decision to alter their original mission course. Capa accepts the implicit challenge, and the two astronauts don their EVA suits to venture into the void.

Meanwhile, Cassie expertly maneuvers the Icarus II’s position to provide the spacewalking duo with maximum “shade” from the scorching sun. Her selfless act, though, comes at a cost: she sacrifices the ship’s communications towers, which burn up as they continue their orbit around the living quarters. The loss of these vital structures sets off another chain reaction when the remnants of the towers deflect a beam of sunlight onto the oxygen garden, sparking a fire that rapidly spirals out of control. As the flames threaten to engulf not just the garden but the entire ship, Cassie’s actions have inadvertently unleashed a catastrophic sequence of events.

As Corazón’s cherished garden teeters on the brink of destruction, she rushes to the scene, hoping against hope that it’s not too late to salvage what’s left. However, Mace’s keen mind quickly assesses the situation and concludes that the only way to prevent the Icarus II from being lost is to take drastic action - releasing a massive surge of oxygen into the tanks to create an enormous fire that will literally exhaust itself. But he knows this decision comes at a devastating cost: the complete destruction of the garden.

Meanwhile, the AI takes control of the ship, intent on returning the heat shield to its protective position over the living quarters as continued exposure threatens the very survival of the mission - and the two spacewalkers, Cassie’s heroic actions now shielding them from the scorching sun. However, Cassie realizes that this maneuver will result in the loss of life for Kaneda and Capa, and she tries to countermand the order, but the AI refuses to be swayed.

A tense standoff ensues between Cassie and the AI, with Cassie ultimately using an override command that requires authorization from a second crew member. She turns to Mace, pleading with him to provide the necessary code, but he remains resolute - convinced that the mission’s importance far outweighs the sacrifice of Kaneda and Capa.

Undeterred, Cassie approaches Harvey, who promptly authorizes the override, silencing the AI’s objections. However, Mace secretly reaches out to Captain Kaneda, seeking his support in countermanding Cassie’s orders - a decision that will ultimately result in his own demise, as well as that of Capa.

Kaneda agrees with Mace that the mission takes precedence over their lives and instructs the AI to resume corrective shading and proceed with the mission. As the protective cover for Kaneda and Capa begins to dwindle, Kaneda orders Capa to return to the ship while he patches the remaining heat shield damage by himself. Tragically, Kaneda meets his end shortly after, succumbing to the merciless sun.

In the aftermath of their devastating loss, the astronauts are left with no choice but to intercept Icarus I, a bitter pill to swallow given the heavy toll it takes on Trey, who remains consumed by regret and is subsequently placed under suicide watch.

As Icarus II’s inhabitants, Searle, Capa, Mace, and Harvey, venture into the damaged Icarus I, they’re met with a mixture of surprises and grim revelations. The initial assessment yields some positives: an abundance of sustenance, a thriving oxygen garden, and a functional payload. However, the ship’s computer systems are severely compromised, leaving them unable to move or respond. A haunting video log from Pinbacker, now bearing visible signs of disfigurement, suggests that the previous crew had chosen to abandon their mission, believing humanity’s impending demise was God’s will. The gruesome discovery of all crew members burned to death in the viewing room serves as a stark reminder of the consequences when the air filter is disabled. It’s eerily implied that if Icarus I weren’t protected by Icarus II’s shielding, those witnessing this carnage would suffer the same fate.

As the survivors investigate further, they’re met with another inexplicable development: the airlock connecting the two ships has mysteriously been destroyed, pulling them apart. The sole EVA suit available is enough to allow Capa (the only one capable of deploying the payload) to make a perilous journey back to Icarus II. However, Harvey disputes Capa’s claim to the suit, citing his newfound status as Captain following Kaneda’s demise. Searle chooses to remain behind and manually open the shafts while Harvey and Mace use the insulation of the ship to shield themselves from the extreme temperatures, allowing them to cling to Capa as he’s propelled towards Icarus II.

During the treacherous journey, Capa loses his grip on Harvey, who drifts helplessly into the void, eventually freezing in space. As his body collides with Icarus II and then disintegrates upon re-entry, a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of their surroundings. Mace, despite suffering frostbite, manages to recover rapidly.

In a poignant and haunting conclusion, Searle enters the viewing room of Icarus I, prepared for his own demise. As Icarus II departs, leaving no shielding from the sun’s deadly rays, Searle meets the same gruesome fate as the previous crew members, forever trapped in the desolate expanse.

As Corazón meticulously calculates the oxygen reserves, a somber reality sets in: there’s just enough for four out of the five remaining crew members to deliver the payload and possibly survive. The grim prognosis is met with a stark decision: Mace will be forced to eliminate Trey. However, when he attempts to carry out this task, he discovers that Trey has already taken his own life, leaving Mace consumed by rage. He viciously smears Trey’s blood on Capa’s hand, blaming him for the tragic event and sparking another brutal confrontation between the two. The intense battle is quickly resolved in the ship’s low-oxygen environment.

Meanwhile, Capa receives a dire warning from the AI: despite Corazón’s calculations, there’s still not enough oxygen to sustain all four surviving crew members until they deliver the payload. The AI reveals that Corazón had actually calculated for five people on board, including one in the viewing room - a realization that sends Capa racing to uncover the truth. His discovery is met with horror as he finds Pinbacker, horribly burned and clearly unhinged, still clinging to life. In a terrifying sequence of events, Pinbacker steals a scalpel and attacks Capa, chasing him through the ship before Capa manages to lock himself into the EVA suit room. Pinbacker then seals his fate by removing the ship’s computer servers from their coolant, as he had done on his own vessel.

In the aftermath of this chaos, Corazón finds a glimmer of hope in an unexpected place - a small, resilient seedling sprouting in the oxygen garden, now scorched and barren. As she calls out to Capa and Cassie, Pinbacker brutally cuts her down, extinguishing the last vestiges of hope. Amidst this mayhem, Mace ventures into the coolant unit to repair the mainframe, only to find himself trapped and injured. As he freezes to death, Pinbacker continues his rampage, relentlessly pursuing Cassie as she seeks refuge in the nuclear payload’s safe haven.

As the life slips from Mace’s (character not specified) eyes, he imparts a dire instruction to Capa: the only way to prevent catastrophic destruction is for Capa to personally detach the nuclear payload from Icarus and guide it into the fiery abyss of the sun. With Mace’s agonized warnings echoing in his mind, Capa finds himself trapped in the EVA suit room, desperate to escape the suffocating confines before it’s too late.

With calculated precision, Capa dons an EVA suit, expertly punctures the inner door with a welding torch, and releases the outer airlock door, unleashing a torrent of loose ship contents and Corazón’s (character not specified) lifeless body into the void. As he gains access to the ship, Capa sets his sights on manual decoupling of the payload, a perilous endeavor that will require unwavering focus and unrelenting determination.

With the payload successfully detached, Capa embarks on a treacherous journey to the ship’s front hatch, only to witness the devastating consequences of his actions as Icarus II drifts apart from its deadly cargo. The propulsion unit of his EVA suit becomes his lifeline as he deftly navigates towards the payload, the ship’s thrusters firing in a blaze of fury that reduces part of the vessel to ashes.

As Capa enters the payload, he finds an unexpected ally in Cassie (character not specified), who has managed to evade Pinbacker’s (character not specified) malevolent grasp. Together, they must outmaneuver the deranged Pinbacker and find a way to ignite the nuclear reaction that will ultimately be their demise.

As the payload begins its fiery descent into the sun, Capa finds solace in his acceptance of mortality, gazing serenely into the inferno as it looms ever closer. Back on Earth, Robert Capa’s (character not specified) sister, Paloma Baeza, and her children, Archie and Sylvie Macdonald, stand vigil outside a snowy park, their tears momentarily drying as they behold the radiant sun breaking through the clouds over a frozen Sydney Harbour – a poignant reminder that their loved one’s sacrifice has succeeded in averting global catastrophe.