One of the best sci-fi movies of modern times.

Rating: 8/10 (11 February 2014)

(Spoiler alert. read at your own risk)
OK, I liked the movie but was not really going to write a review until I started reading the bad reviews here criticizing the movie for being unreal. This movie is good for its great visuals, non-stop action, and a battle for survival of one person. This is a thriller set in space. No sci-fi is ever accurate, but in this case, some self-proclaimed space experts are criticizing the movie without merit. I will try to address some of the criticism below.
1. NASA would never send an astronaut with so much emotional baggage.
In reality, having a child die at the age of four does not automatically disqualify an astronaut. Psychological evaluation goes way much deeper than that. So, if all else appears normal, it is quite possible that someone with a tragic family history may make it into program. The emotions displayed by Sandra Bullock's character in space were under extreme hardship and loss of hope. It may not happen to a real astronaut but prospect of a certain, slow death, can break a very strong person.
2. Sandra's character did not decompress when Ryan opened the hatch.
She was hallucinating dude, that is why!
3. The debris stayed in orbit instead of falling to earth and burning out.
Although the movie depicts debris of epic proportions, but whatever debris there is, is likely to stay in the orbit at least for some time (depending on the velocity and distance from earth). The movie implies that all satellites are on the same orbit and therefore on a collision path. This is incorrect, but it is possible that when satellites are hit that they get knocked into a different orbit putting them on collision course with other satellites.
4. Chinese entry vehicle caught fire upon entry and yet did not burn out.
Entry vehicles can heat to several thousand degree and are designed to withstand the temperature.
5. Sandra's character was able to swim after returning from space.
Actually, swimming will come more naturally to someone returning from zero gravity, because it is a low gravity environment. However walking on earth just a few minutes after landing was unreal (and inconsequential to the story).
6. Eenie meanie Minnie mo. What? Really!
Shenzhou capsule is supposed to be a replica of Soyuz. Since Sandra's character had some knowledge of Soyuz controls, she was using her imagination to press the same buttons. Also, at this point, the character was taking chances without much hope.
This is not to say that this movie did not take artistic license and did not exaggerate, but it was a drama not a documentary. I have yet to see a sci-fi which is believable. Don't compare it with Apollo 13. That was true story, not a sci-fi.
On the whole, this is a very well executed thriller. It is not a very good drama though. Writers tried to add some "emotional" spice to the characters (perhaps in hope of an Oscar), but it did not work that well, perhaps because there was no time to build characters.