Come on ... just one little laser blast or jump into warp speed?: "Sunshine"

Was this movie in theaters? I know I don't go as much as I used to, but I'm not sure. In any case, the lack of exposure is a little curious considering the director: Oscar winner Danny Boyle. Sure, he just won that Oscar, but the guy had a pretty decent resume by the time this sci-fi (sort of) movie came out in 2007. "Trainspotting" and "28 Days Later ... " each won raves, and "Millions" was a critics' darling. So why nothing about "Sunshine?"

The premise is simple: With the sun dying, a team of scientists and astronauts heads that way to set off a bomb that will kickstart our solar friend. They aren't the first ones, however, and as the crew gets closer to the sun, crazy things start to happen. Hey, you know what they say about looking at that thing too long.

Not a bad story, I guess, although you know I have a soft spot for sci-fi. Decent cast, too: Cillian Murphy as the lead scientist, Cliff Curtis as a psychologist, Michelle Yeoh as a plant lady and Chris Evans (The Human Torch) as an astronaut. The crew tension and mind games are good, and there's some believable crises in the first half to two-thirds of the movie.

The last third, though, gets a little far-fetched and, well, dumb. I won't spoil it, but let's say I had a hard time swallowing why things had gone bad, and the ultimate resolution left me wanting. A shame, since I was hoping to would cement my affection for Boyle. Instead, it's more kin to "The Beach": intriguing, but in the end unsatisfying. And no hot French girl cavorting with Leo.