Gravity (Originally on TFR Online)

Rating: 10/10 (5 June 2014)

Following the release of 2009's Avatar, the phrase "game-changer" was oft used to describe the film. Now, with the release of Alfonso Cuàron's Gravity, the "game" hasn't just been changed, it's been turned on its head in the best way possible. Cuàron has not only raised the bar for science- fiction (or rather science-fact) films with Gravity, but for all other films too.
Directed by Cuarón, whose previous credits include Children of Men and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (arguably the best film of the series), Gravity tells the tale of astronauts Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who are cast adrift in space after a catastrophic incident destroys their shuttle, and their only means of returning home What follows are the most tense and exhilarating 90 minutes of film you're ever likely to experience.
The plot itself is fiendishly simple, and all the better for it. Title cards provide us with all the information we need to know, most especially these simple five words: "Life in space is impossible". To say that the film is "science-fiction" is a bit misleading, as the story is so heavily grounded in the world of "science-fact". Much of the tension and fear inspired by the film arises from the fact that it is so concerned with realism. Gravity doesn't concern itself too much with weighty philosophical issues, instead, it posits the simple question of what does it mean to be alone in the universe? Human contact means everything in this film, whether it be verbal (communication between the two astronauts, or Houston) or physical (Stone and Kowalski reaching desperately for each other's hands). "Don't let go", reads the film's ingenious tagline, and it serves as the film's literal and figurative maxim throughout.
Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a welcome new addition to the pantheon of sci-fi heroines; at once vulnerable, stoic, resourceful, and ingenious. Having deigned herself to a life of loneliness after suffering a tragedy back on Earth, it is only in her moments of utter despair that her vulnerability shines through. Though she insists that she has nothing to go back to, her will to live serves as a parable for the human condition. This is not a film about avoiding death, it is a film about life and living, birth, and rebirth; all so evident in the scenes in which Stone and Kowalski are tethered together with an "umbilical", or Stone curling into the foetal position in zero g. As expected, Kowalski (Clooney) makes an excellent, amicable everyman; he serves as the opposite side of the coin to Stone, savouring the sunrise over the Ganges despite the perilous situation he finds himself in. He too, like Stone, has suffered a tragedy back on Earth, though not as severe as Stone's.
The story itself is so gripping that it's only afterwards that you realise the ingenuity, and astonishing amount of skill that went into the camera-work. Long-takes abound, and the spectacular opening take clocks in at the 17 minute mark, without a single cut. The camera weaves beautifully from within a character's helmet, to the abyss of space outside, seamlessly. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, who previously worked with Cuàron on Children of Men has truly outdone himself with this film. With no solid plane from which to work, he shows a mastery of visual choreography never before seen, made all the more astounding when you consider that 99% of the film is set in Zero G. Gravity also has the honour of being one of the few movies best enjoyed in 3D. It adds to the story, rather than detract from it. It is employed masterfully by Cuarón, and it never feels gimmicky, or unnecessary. The scenes set within various structures feel appropriately claustrophobic; those set without feel as vastly expansive as space itself. The visuals too are absolutely breathtaking, and the CGI is so seamless and photorealistic that you never stop to think twice about it, you simply accept it as reality.
With Gravity, Cuàron and co. have brought something truly special to the world. The entire film operates as smoothly as well-oiled machine, and it's near impossible to truly find fault with it, as every facet lives up to the hype. The film is one of the few that actually lives up to the rabid hype surrounding it, and you will not be disappointed leaving the cinema after it (though you may want to take a few minutes to catch your breath and readjust to solid ground). For this reviewer Gravity provided an unparalleled, immersive, thrilling, and enchanting cinematic experience like no other. Go see it, as soon as you can, on the biggest screen possible. You will not be disappointed.
Originally at http://tfronline.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/review-gravity/