Gravity (2013) review

James Cameron recently called this film ‘the best space film ever done’, which is quite a statement coming from the director of a film like ‘Aliens’, and a lot of critics are sharing the same sentiment. This film’s current rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 97%, which is one of the best RT scores that any film this year has gotten. While I never really find myself agreeing with the RT scores, there’s no arguing against these ratings. ‘Gravity’ is an experience that must be seen on the big screen, preferably in 3-D. Sure, it’s not the best written film out there, but from a technical standpoint, this film is pretty much perfect, with some of the best visuals in recent years. Aside from that, the film is very suspenseful and will have you on the edge of your seat throughout the course of the film.

Medical Engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is on her first space shuttle mission, accompanied by veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who is on his final mission with NASA. All seems to go well until one day, while Stone and Kowalski are working on repairs to the shuttle, debris from a Russian anti-satellite weapon, which has also hit other satellites, damages their ship, killing the rest of the crew and leaving Stone and Kowalski stranded in space. As their air supply continues to be depleted, the two attempt to reach the International Space Station so that they can hopefully get back home. They don’t have much time, though, as the satellite debris is now in orbit around Earth, meaning that it is sure to come back very soon.

‘Gravity’ is a technical masterpiece in almost every aspect of filmmaking. Cuaron always has a habit of having striking visuals in his films, and this film is no exception. With both the incredible visuals and some beautiful cinematography, this is one of the best-looking films of the year. Sure, the majority of the film obviously must have been shot in front of a green screen, but it’s pretty convincing nevertheless. This is also a must-see in 3-D. In fact, I’d say this is probably the best utilization of the 3-D format to date in a theatrical release. There’s just something about it that works so well; it helps to tell the story instead of being something that distracts the audience. That story also happens to make the movie a very suspenseful thriller. I guarantee that you will be on the edge of your seat throughout the whole movie. The movie may be only 90 minutes, but trust me, it doesn’t feel like it (and that’s a good thing).

It’s quite an achievement that this film works as well as it does considering that, if one were to really look at the script of this film, the story is actually quite simple. Not only that, but the characters are more like archetypes of characters we have seen before, like the untested rookie or the laid-back veteran. But this is not a film that needs great writing to be good. It’s more about the adventure. Even if the characters aren’t that well-developed, the acting from the two leads is still very strong. Bullock in particular really shines here, especially considering that, without giving much away, she’s usually the only one on screen. She does a great job of conveying the emotions her character is going through; fear, anxiety, etc. In regards to Clooney, he’s also great as well, as his character is the one that helps Bullock’s character calm down, despite the odds, because he’s the laid-back veteran who is one hell of an optimist.

Sure, from a writing standpoint, ‘Gravity’ is not exactly a masterpiece but I don’t think that was what Alfonso Cuaron was going for when he was making this film. He was more focused on making the film a great-looking and suspenseful thrill ride and in that regard, he certainly succeeded. Aside from the writing, ‘Gravity’ is pretty much a masterpiece in every sense of the word. The visuals are outstanding, it’s an emotionally gripping thrill ride from beginning to end, and it’s one of the few films that utilize the 3-D format to great effect. I hear that this film is a must-see in IMAX 3-D, but unfortunately I did not see it in IMAX 3-D but after seeing this film, I’m certainly considering seeing it in that format. It’s that good.

Rating: 5/5!