You clearly sent the thread into diabetic shock with your frighteningly sweet review of this mediocre film...

Actually his review is perfectly valid, however I just don't buy the God-like linkages to Pinbacks insanity. Yes all the signs are there if you look but then I have to ask how would anybody else act like after 7 years of solitude and proximity to something as vast as the Sun and each time I'd think they'd just go banana's. So for me to do down the harbinger/instrument of doom road I'd have to assume its the one time amount countless that somebody goes crazy without the normal human limits and weaknesses causing it.

Again one can take that view as its one with support, I just don't.

easily the most overlooked [in the US] film of the year, this film packed a great punch, because it offered EVERYTHING. Good writing, characters you care about, a great premise, beautiful visuals, and a good dose of humor when needed. It sorta got too hectic at the end, but it's forgivable, because as a whole, it's really a remarkable achievement, and Danny Boyle's second best film to date.

A-

My response to you was something along the lines of there's too much ambiguity with regards to Pinbacker's character to just write him off as the generic crazed slasher villain. Both his presentation on screen and some narrative gaps caused me to think this way.

And I didn't think my review was that sweet. It certainly doesn't approach the syrupy heights of bradley's Hairspray review...

Well, ya got me there...

Bradley Hairspray

I agree with that...throwing that guy into the mix was an interesting idea, but they went way too far with it.

But my question is: How could they have ended it? Would it have been satisfying if their mission just went awry on its own and ended with them sending the thing into the sun due along with themselves due to making a mistake? Regardless, I thought it was great; they just should've worked on that ending.

7/10 -> B-

A great space epic that at the end turns into your usual slasher. I mean WTF??? All the characters turn into stupid teenagers in the end, act all scared and run around trying to hide. Just to go on a space mission should mean they're all in great shape and they're able to fight.

Also when Cillian saw that Pink-what's-his-name guy why didn't he killed him right away or try to lock him down? He got it all figured out when the computer told him there's someone else on the ship (he might not have known who, but he knew that was the guy who was killing around) and he goes in the observatory and chats with the guy??!?!?!?!

Some interesting points of view so far. I have to admit - Im with Gulli on this one. The film is definitely ambitious and for the most part it does come close to filling its ambitions. Visually its stunning with some of the best space scenes ever filmed. However it tends to fall apart when the 5th crewmember appears (however the scene when Capa finds out about the additional crew member is brilliant).

A beautiful looking film - but flawed.

Grade: B

Most underrated film of the year, it is.

Indeed.

More people need to see this!

TechnicaLLy amazing, stunning space shots aLa 2001 that tried to be scientificaLLy accurate as possibLe, some intense scenes and good performances. Though coming off with that great concept, it couLd have been the best fiLm of 2007 if they came up with fresher ideas Like with the death scenes as been stated before and a better Last 30 mins. StiLL, one of the great sci-fi fiLms of the past few years.

A-

This is a movie that screams "BUY ME ON BLU RAY!"

Which I will, cause I loved it. It's a stunning film. Unlike most of you, I didn't mind the ending. In fact I kind of loved it. I probably would have disliked it more if it actually did turn into Jason X, but no, seeing one of the crew members get knifed is not exactly Jason X. The others died in situations related to the whack job, but not in a slasher way. Heck, I even thought the guy was affectively creepy. It was an exhilarating experience, one I had a couple times earlier this year. Where I'm watching the movie and while I'm watching it realizing how much I was loving it. I even made up my dream scenario for the way I would want it to end and said to myself "If it ends like that, this could be one of my favorite movies ever." And then... it did end like that.

(Those two other times, by the way: Sweeney Todd and Once Upon a Time in the West)

So yeah.... ****

2nd favorite movie of 2007, which was a fanfuckingtastic year, so 2nd place is nothing to be ashamed of. Hell, 2nd place in 2007 is a top 20 all time finish for me.

The sci-fi horn dogs have already forsaken me for giving Children of Men only 3 and a half stars.

I knew you'd come through for me, Squee.

On a bit of side note I'm listening to the soundtrack atm and I must admit in that aspect that film was pretty damn flawless.

The Songs "What do you See?" and "Surface of the Sun" in particular really stand out.

Just admit it, you loved the film. YOU LOVED IT, DIDN'T YOU????

Its very pretty.....................and you're not making me budge any more!!

Gulli nailed it on page 1. I was in awe and in love with the first hour... The shots of the sun and ship sailing into it, the technology on board, the risk assesment decision involving Icarus 1 and the series of bad events that occur because of it, the death of Kenada and the suspense of that entire sequence, the scene in Icarus 1 and Searle staying behind. The thematics of the fim were set up, with the sun as a godlike presence and the Icarus as a vessell, the human and psychological questions the crewmembers were faced with, the realization that they weren't going back. I was ready to call it a fabulous, fabulous sci-fi film. Then comes Pinbacker.

I understand the what's been outlined in this thread, that Pinbacker in his blurred appearance ambigiously represents a disciple of god sent to destroy these vessels. However, cinematically, the film succeeds much much more as a graceful sci-fi epic than it does as a chase thriller. Pinbacker's trek through the ship and the events and deaths following is rather predictable and average, as if taken from a more Hollywood-esque disaster film like The Core. Additionally, I felt the religious parallels and the human themes had already been set up enough by the film without him. Bringing in the idea that god sent someone to destroy this ship... I just don't see what that adds, it gives me nothing more to take out of the film and doesn't serve much message. But whatever.



This is an interesting idea, but holed IMO. Mace would fit into the second category, more than anyone he sides with the bigger picture and sacrificing themselves for the saviour of mankind, accepting his death... And he dies cold and alone. On the other end I would say Cassie is more concerned with trivial matters, trying to override Icarus to save Kenada and voting against killing Trey, and she dies in the light, although not staring it down. Corazon seems to be in the second group, as she votes to kill Trey and brings up the idea of getting rid of three crewmembers so they can deliver their payload, and she also dies alone and without meaning. But I think her character just cared more about plants than humans anyways.

The divide of people concerned with themselves and people concerned with delivering the payload is there and clear, and Kenada, Searle, and Mace are seen as worth for sacrificing themselves for the ship, while Harvey is seen as cowardly, but I don't believe the cause and place of death is structured according to which side of the divide they stand on.

It was a good film, but it wasn't too entertaining....very B-

Wanted to see this someday and just got around to it, but apparently I hadn't really missed anything. There's some good stuff in it, mostly in the first hour, but despite the nice cast it gets way too bogged down in melo-drama stuff and loses any sight of being fascinating and tense. Garland and Boyle are talented, but it feels like this has been taken away from them and it ends up being just a mix of elements taken from other films that executed it better.

C+