Gravity: A Nerve-Wrecking Masterpiece by Director Alfonso Cuarón.

Rating: 10/10 (5 November 2013)

Space has always been an interesting setting for films. It takes the characters into the unknown, promising to put them in immediate danger. Anything could go wrong, and most of their resources and equipment must stay untouched and in perfect working condition if they want to survive and touch Earth again. However, most of these films add to that danger by providing creatures, a mission which is extra dangerous, or making other humans within the setting a threat. Gravity is special. It does not use any of the previously three described cases, and instead puts the characters in mortal danger by a simple, yet very plausible scenario.
Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer who has been contracted by NASA to create and install a prototype machine and computer which will provide further data to their investigations. She is accompanied by astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) and two other astronauts. Within the first few minutes we see them working on the satellite which will hold Dr. Ryan's machine and computer. 2 minutes later the team is informed that Russia has destroyed one of their satellites with a missile, possibly to avoid any of their information in the satellite from being leaked if the pieces of it land on Earth. Seconds later the debris of the destroyed satellite is flying by them, some of it hits their ship and satellite, and Dr. Ryan Stone is sent into the void when her tether breaks, with nothing but her space suit and working tools.
All this happens within the first 10 minutes. It sounds dangerous, but it is nothing like watching it on the big screen and hearing it (greatly aided by 3D). All hell breaks lose around them. Everything turns to chaos in a few seconds, and soon Dr. Ryan has lost contact with everyone and finds herself spinning and floating in endless space. A few minutes later of panicking and hyperventilating (from both the audience and Ryan) Matt makes contact with her. For the next hour or so we watch them in torturous suspense attempt to return to Earth safely.
After the first 7 minutes the whole movie is one edge-of-your-seat ride. In the whole movie there are only a couple of scenes which slow down, provided to let the audience breath for a few seconds before the characters are thrown in mortal and unforgiven danger once more. All this is aided by phenomenal special effects. We never doubt that Matt and Ryan are floating in zero gravity, or that a slight change in their momentum will either save them or kill them. The score does the same. It makes us feel more tense or sad, depending on the scene, and the sound is aggressive and precise. The 3D is greatly immersive. It only pulls you into space and makes everything look more real and dangerous.
Sandra Bullock's performance is great. We never see anyone other than isolated Dr. Ryan Stone in Sandra Bullock's body. It is amazing to understand that for close to 80% of the film she is in front of nothing but a green screen for the special effects, but it is never noticeable. She carries the bulk of the movie and she does so smoothly and naturally, as if she was actually there in space, trying to survive and get back to Earth alive.
All in all, a great space suspense/thriller.