The Lowdown: In space, no one can hear you scream. That is probably the most apt summation of Alfonso Cuarón’s (Children of Men) latest film, Gravity, which as of October 2013, is the best film of the year. It tells the story of two astronauts who get trapped in space when their shuttle is destroyed, and it is a mesmerizing, thrilling, frightening, and surprisingly contemplative experience. See it in 3D or IMAX if you can.
1. The Plot: Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) are on a mission in space to repair the Hubble space telescope, when a shower of metal debris destroys their space shuttle. What ensues is a desperate struggle for survival and reflection on life as the two attempt to reach an International Space Station (ISS), and make their way back to Earth.
2. The Characters: And the Oscar…nomination goes to Sandra Bullock (The Heat, Miss Congeniality), whose performance in Gravity is easily her best ever. Dr. Ryan Stone has led a sad, lonely life ever since her young daughter died in a tragic accident. She continues with her work and research in order to clear her mind of it, but she is never able to fully let go of it. Bullock’s performance is subdued rather than melodramatic. During the many intense sequences of peril, Bullock does a lot of screaming and gasping, but it is during the quieter, more intimate moments where she is alone in space that are so much more affecting. Her facial expressions and body language tell the whole story; there is almost no need for words in most sequences. George Clooney (Ocean’s Eleven, The American) is Matt Kowalski, a veteran astronaut on his last spacewalk. He is pretty much the opposite of Dr. Stone, constantly blasting music, telling grand stories about his life, bragging about how he wants to beat the spacewalking record, and generally having a good time. Where Dr. Stone keeps mostly to herself, Kowalski can’t help but be calm, confident, and loose. Still, Kowalski knows what he’s doing, and he helps Stone get out of a few sticky situations. Figures, the female character can’t survive without the help of a man. Anyways, Kowalski is a good character, throwing out the bits of comic relief to help balance out the tense situations. He’s a great supporting character. Performance-wise, George Clooney is basically playing George Clooney, and that guy is definitely the best at playing himself.
Did you know that even outer space can't contain my ego?
3. The Visual Effects: Much has already been made of the groundbreaking special effects showcased in Gravity, and I must say that they are some of the best I’ve seen in any film. This is a film that doesn’t clutter the screen with CGI that has no rhyme or reason. Instead, the visual effects artists focused on the quality rather than the quantity, meaning that what is there is all that needed to be there. No more, no less.In terms of realism, most CGI is convincing enough nowadays, since we have the technology, but Gravity does what many films don’t, and that is use the special effects as a means to tell or enhance the story. Zero gravity effects and the exteriors of space stations are typical of films set in space, but what stands out are the little things. The opening shot of space, with Earth in the background, is breathtaking, but as a tiny speck in the distance gets closer and is revealed to be the space shuttle, the audience gets a sense of how empty and vast and silent space is. Even though there is nothing there, space is as harsh as any terrain on Earth. There are also nice little touches like when Dr. Stone cries and her tears float away as tiny balls of water in zero gravity. It is this attention to detail that enhances the experience and the narrative so much more than just piling as much CGI on the screen as possible.
4. The 3D: Gravity is the first film since Avatar (2009) that I have seen that not only used 3D to its full effect, but that actually improved the movie-watching experience. The 3D doesn’t cause eye-strain or headaches like most 3D movies do, and the minimal clutter of CGI on the screen actually reveals the depth of objects on screen that 3D is supposed to enhance. Since the film is already such an immersive experience, the 3D also helps to enhance the feeling of being trapped alone in space. Even though I generally despise 3D for being such an unnecessary gimmick, I have to recommend seeing Gravity in 3D or IMAX or IMAX 3D. Anything for maximum immersion.Space debris: It's freakin' scary.
(WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD)5. A Contemplative Journey: Gravity is a story of survival in space, but only on the surface. It’s really a story about how life sometimes gets you down, but you have to overcome the obstacles and pull yourself back up, no matter what. It sounds kind of corny, but it’s the little nuggets of inspiration like this that sometimes help one through life. It’s also simplistic enough that anyone can relate to it, and I think that’s part of what makes Gravity such a compelling experience; we have all been through hard times. Not everyone has been trapped in outer space, trying to find a way back to Earth, but the message is still the same. Gravity has a main character that is relatable on a certain level, and this simple thing helps make the film feel so immersive.
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The Bottom Line: Gravity is a true white-knuckle, edge-of-your-seat thriller, and an introspective on loss, life, and self-recovery. It is easily one of 2013’s best films. Sandra Bullock gives the performance of her career (a helluva lot better than her performance in The Blind Side), and the film boasts awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping visual effects that are both visceral and terrifying. In fact, the whole film is utterly frightening. Imagine being trapped in space, floating away alone and slowly losing oxygen. Deal with the gravity of that situation.
Gravity is property of Warner Bros., Esperanto Filmoj, and Heyday Films. This review was written by me.
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