Alfonso Cuaron's eye of terror in space

Rating: 9/10 (20 January 2014)

Space. The place where there is no sound. No life. Nothing. Alfonso Cuaron's new hit film is set against this backdrop. Simply calling "Gravity" a big-budget a space film does not serve it justice. The focus is on two astronauts, Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) who are on a mission to repair an old satellite. With a ten-minute single shot introduction, Cuaron introduces us to these individuals, revealing their personalities via comical banter and progressive dialog. Stone is on her first assignment, a little jittery while Kowalski is a veteran and an easygoing kind of guy. This scene would be boring for any other movie besides this one. The visuals and fluid camera movements from one character another is so mind-boggling that you find yourself feeling like your floating in space with them. Seeing this in 3D really helps this perspective. Characters and items drift right into you!
This more than extraordinary intro is interrupted with a violent flow of debris from a destroyed Russian satellite forcing the characters into a game of gliding survival. Anything can happen to these individuals and one bad thing after another follows. Will the characters die? Or will they make it back to earth in one piece? That is the fun for us with the remaining 80 minutes. Many fellow critics have more or less criticized this film for its constant defiance of physics. Yes, Cuaron pushes the boundaries of what would really happen in space. There are times where the audience, along with myself chuckle at the limitation that push the suspension of disbelief. Even some cliché plot devices of the film survival genre are utilized. Putting all that aside, "Gravity" excels on so many other levels. The most prominent is the visuals. It is more than a guarantee that this movie is going to win for Visual Effects category. They have depth and are photo-realistic. You really feel like that you witnessing space and earth from a distance. The cinematography, both CG and real-life is beyond words. The movements and lighting techniques evoke the darkness and sudden bright light of the stars and sun. Another gold statue. It would be a crime if it did not win.
The second aspect that makes "Gravity" spectacular is the usage, or rather no use of sound. After all, there is no sound waves to travel or reflect off of in space. Many scenes only record the voices and grunts of the actors when things are growing perilous. The sound effects that are manufactured for the film are cool when used. They add that deep space, sounding element (if there is such a way to put it). A neat method used to emphasize the magnitude of the situation is Steven Price's score. His music, flawlessly mixed with synth and orchestra, captures the direness and intensity of the movie. It grows loud, often overtaking some moments to the point of bombastic levels. The ending piece adds a new element of uplifting hope. Another gold statue.
The third thing that works for this film is the story. I do not praise the creativity of it. There really is not too much to offer in this regard. However, the spin that Cuaron takes with this movie is unique. He makes a simple idea of survival and broadens it into a terrifying and unimaginable scenario. Many sci-fi films often are about survival, ex: Alien, Prometheus, and The Thing. But no other feature has done so purely in characters gliding in space. He does so without making it dull (which is a big trap with this kind of film) or pretentious. No real story is ever original. Just ask James Cameron with "Avatar." However, like Jim, Cuaron made a fun alternative with it.
The fourth factor is the acting. Sandra Bullock as Stone is pretty much in every minute of the film. She has unfortunately gotten sort of a bad rap from the kind of movies she has made. Nevertheless, I always considered her a fine actress. Here, she gives perhaps her most humane character ever. She is forced into perhaps the most terrifying situation imaginable and reacts with all the ingredients of any sane person: fear, anxiety, agitation, depression, submissiveness, and ultimately defiance. She does so with believability, with and without the astronaut helmet. One scene in particular, she evokes complete, empathic helplessness. The audience's reaction? Silence. Her accolade nominations are more than understandable and deserving. George Clooney does not reach the same level. Rather, he takes the back seat on this one, acting more like his charming, funny self than anything.
The final thing that makes "Gravity" a great film is Cuaron's direction. This is not only seen in the visuals and the acting, but in its delivery. Every shot captured in this film is done so with perfection. His eye of terror in space has set a new standard in science-fiction that has not been seen in about 20 years. He gives us a vision that is something to see, hear, feel, remember, and above all experience. I find it almost an injustice that this movie will be converted to online viewing and Blu-Ray. This movie is meant for the big screen and in 3D. I really hope that this majestic edge will not be lost because of the small screen compression.
Mr rating: 10/10