“Gravity” Movie Review

I know, I know – the movie released ages ago. So why am I giving my review now? Well, for one thing, the movie is still running in theatres. But, more importantly, it’s a movie that redefines the movie going experience. It very successfully does what few movies do nowadays – leave you in awe. I recently saw the movie for a second time, and I was as moved as I was the first time. And now that I am back to writing reviews, I just had to write this one.

Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, and directed by the brilliant Alfonso Cuaron (it will be a disappointment if he doesn’t win the Best Director Oscar for this one), “Gravity” is essentially a ship-wreck survival story set in space. Medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) are part of the shuttle Explorer’s STS-157 mission. During a spacewalk to service the Hubble Station telescope, Mission Control in Houston warns the team about a Russian missile strike on an inoperative satellite, which has caused a chain reaction forming a cloud of space debris. High speed debris strikes the Explorer, killing all the team-members except Stone and Kowalski, who are stranded in space. The movie is about their attempt to get back to earth.

The movie works on every level – it is a tense thriller, and at the same time a story about the triumph of human will against seemingly insurmountable odds. And a big reason it works is the acting. It’s not an understatement that the acting rests squarely on the able shoulders of Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (they are, after all, the only actors in the movie – ignoring the voice actors). Clooney hits all the notes playing the wise-cracking Kowalski – he oozes charm and wit, but still conveys the experience of a veteran, and the concern and caring for Dr. Stone. As for Sandra Bullock, she gives a great, nuanced performance as Dr. Ryan Stone – from the nervousness of the character, to the sheer panic, to the despair, to the resolve to survive – the journey of the character has been portrayed beautifully.

Of course, I have to devote some words for the special effects, which are in a league of their own. This film makes the best use of 3D I have ever seen – hands down. The scenes where the debris is hurtling towards the screen would have most audiences ducking. If a movie had technology specifically made for it, you can imagine it would be worth something. A lot of the stuff on screen would have been very difficult to pull off, and it definitely pays off. The movie is visually stunning, and the vastness of space contrasted with the claustrophobic feeling of being in cramped spaces gives so much more depth to the scenes. For me, the experience I had was almost as if I was also floating in space.

At the end of the day, this movie is all about the director. Cuaron delivers another believable science fiction movie (if you haven’t seen “Children of Men”, I would highly recommend it) with a taut screenplay, and great attention to detail – I read that the science is pretty accurate (though I wouldn’t know, and it really doesn’t matter for a regular movie-goer). And of course there’s his love for long continuous scenes - just pay attention to the first scene, it’s 13 minutes long! There are a lot of beautiful shots, and despite all its technical brilliance, there is no compromise in the story or the characters. And the one thing that shines through is Alfonso Cuaron’s assured touch which makes, what could have been a really simple and ordinary movie, an extraordinary piece of work.

If you still haven’t seen Gravity, change that immediately. If you have seen Gravity, but not in 3D – change that immediately. This movie is a cinematic landmark, one that will stay on in your minds long after you have left the theatre.

P.S.: Once you see the movie, you may want to check out the short "Aningaaq".