Gorgeous Peril at Every Turn

Rating: 7/10 (29 December 2013)

Gravity is a fast-paced flight through stunning beauty and danger.
CONS The movie seems short and there's not much time to really learn about the characters.
PROS This film is very impressive on three main fronts: visual imagery, technical detail, and seat-grabbing action.
The scenes of Earth from orbit are absolutely breathtaking. Space is also beautiful in itself - the silence of it, the empty reaches between objects - it's perfect nothing. The brilliant cinematography and cgi mastery really take us there. I really am in envy of those who have seen it for real if just some movie footage can capture such beauty.
And no detail is spared. The EV suits, the Hubble telescope, other satellite components, the space-shuttle, space-stations, and re-entry vehicles. All are rendered with care and loving attention. If you watched this movie 100 times, you probably still wouldn't notice all the tiny parts and pieces. Space-flight does not happen by magic, and the film-makers really want us to see how much ingenuity and craft has gone into letting us float above our world.
When some of these parts and pieces get away from us, though, that's when things get dangerous. And there's no deadlier place for this than the airless frozen void of space. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that I've never seen destruction that felt so close and immediately threatening. I was on the edge of my seat grabbing at anything I could for fear of the character(s) losing grip and tumbling off into the forever...or worse.
So, suit up and grab on - this is one hell of a ride.