Pass the Popcorn review

Rating: 8/10 (11 October 2013)

Judging by various internet rating sites, Gravity is currently the best movie from 2013. And along with those who adore and praise it, there are many people who have spent all their time, after seeing the movie, discussing it on various forums. The most talked-about issue is physics, which makes sense since Gravity is a sci-fi. But I doubt any recent sci-fi has ever been analysed so much – and also hated and loved at the same time. It's obvious that Gravity is a very interesting movie, and it seems to be different from the usual stuff Hollywood gives us, which should be appreciated. Many people have been comparing it to 2001: A Space Odissey which, I think, best explains and summarizes the fame that's been building around Gravity ever since it came out.
The story in Gravity, unfortunately, is not as original as one may think. Doctor Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer on her first mission in space, while Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) is an astronaut on his last mission. While trying to repair some damage on the Hubble telescope, they are hit by debris from a destroyed satellite which wrecks the space shuttle Explorer, leaving only Stone and Kowalski alive. Kowalski uses his thruster pack to retrieve Stone, who was sent away from the shuttle, and together they make their way to the International Space Station. Here Gravity becomes a survival thriller – a very good one, no doubt, but still nothing more than that, which is a shame since the setting alone allows more psychologically challenging developments.
I found the cast selection to be confusing: why Clooney and Bullock? They are not bad actors, but I don't think they fit their roles. Notably, before Bullock was cast there were many other (better) options, and even Robert Downey Jr. (who was also offered the role of Kowalski) would have been better than Clooney playing himself. Still, both our main actors do a good job – especially Bullock, who spent months training for her role – and even though their characters are not developed enough, it's difficult to notice that since the story keeps you glued to your seat. Gravity's opening scene is particularly amazing: there are no sounds apart from the radio communications among the astronauts and Mission Control, and a very long take, going in circle, shows us Earth, the shuttle and the astronauts up close. I admire Cuarón's decision to acknowledge there is no sound in space, but I'd rather have sounds than a soundtrack that's occasionally exaggeratedly loud and unnecessary.
Furthermore, many people claim Gravity is scientifically inaccurate, but unless you're a physicist or an aerospace engineer, I don't think you will notice/mind many of those mistakes – besides, Cuarón himself admits he "adapted" the physics to suit the plot. Interestingly, the movie is only 90 minutes long but feels much longer, in a good way. It also has a lower budget than many other epic sci-fi movies, but looks much better. Actually, Gravity is the most beautiful and tense movie I've seen in a while, with some perfectly directed scenes. The tension is mostly built through very long takes and some POV shots. In summary, it all comes down to this: the movie is visually stunning and has loads of potential, but doesn't exploit it fully. The dialogues (and monologues) are mostly clichéd, some even make you cringe. Had it been a mostly silent movie, had it concentrated on the psychological effect of the fear of imminent death on people, Gravity would have been better. But it would also have seemed like a Space Odissey ripoff, and it definitely wouldn't have been a Hollywood movie. Despite its flaws, I recommend this movie, because it's a unique experience Hollywood probably won't present us again soon.
Rating: 8/10 Read more at http://passpopcorn.wordpress.com/