Two people bob about in space

Rating: 8/10 (28 November 2013)

What Gravity does extremely well at is transporting the viewer into space. The floaty camera-work is absolutely brilliant and during the action it's sometimes just damn stunning! Action films could learn a lot from Gravity, as a lot of this film is done in singular long takes which is much more tense and involving to watch than frantic quick cut editing which makes it impossible to see what's going on. I also enjoyed the POV shots which literally put the viewer in Sandra's shoes (or space boots?) and create some fantastic disorientation. The visuals are also consistently amazing. It's hard to believe that basically everything is CGI because it all looks so very real. Even Gravity's biggest critics have to at least appreciate the amount of work that has gone on in the visual department.
However, I doubt that Gravity's stint in IMDb's top 250 will last. Gravity is very much a cinema film. It's a film that has to be experienced on a big screen and in 3D to get everything out of it. At home, on your 20" black and white portable TV-video combo it won't look so impressive. In fact, a lot of people will find it quite boring to be quite frank. The pacing in Gravity is very slow at times, which I didn't mind, but it could become a chore with multiple viewings. My guess is that the novelty will quickly wear off when it hits our DVD shelves. Part of the excitement of Gravity is not knowing what's going to come next! I was wondering how they were going to make a feature length film from two people bobbing about in space, but they managed it and for the first time it's great! However, when you strip down Gravity, plot-wise, you'll find that there's not too much going on.
The film is all about survival and Sandra puts on an excellent performance as Ryan Stone. The idea of being lost in space is a pretty terrifying one and it's perfectly executed here. Unfortunately, George isn't quite so good. He seems more like a spare part and is only there to look good. Although to be fair, his character isn't too well written. He just seems like some babbling idiot who's not fazed by anything, which is difficult to believe. Gravity is mostly a one-woman show though and Sandra makes Ryan a compelling character. There are some surprisingly emotional scenes as well which are just as impressive as the big set-pieces.
Gravity has fallen into the hype machine a little bit. I don't think it's the best film of the year. It's more like a ride that'll quickly ware thin with multiple viewings. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and I thought that the 3D was used really well, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to see it again. I also didn't find it as intense as others did. I think Black Swan and last year's The Dark Knight Rises are far more intense pieces. Gravity is very suspenseful though and masterfully shot. It's well worth seeing, but be sure to make your first time the best. Seek out the biggest screen you can, put on your 3D glasses and let the film sweep you away. It might not be the best space film ever made, but it's a very entertaining and sometimes incredibly stunning piece of work.