An experience more than a film

Rating: 7/10 (21 July 2014)

Okay, 'Gravity' is amazing. That makes it sound like a film that you have to watch, but, on reflection, I'm still not so sure. I sat through the whole ninety minutes of it and I'm still not sure whether I liked it or not.
I'm glad I saw it, but I'm not sure I'd ever want to watch it again. It's about two astronauts stranded in space when their shuttle gets struck by debris. First, the good: the two (and only) leads, George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, are both worthy of their A-list reputation and turn in excellent performances. You'll really feel for their plight and be rooting for them to get back to Earth. In fact, the only thing better than their acting is the special effects themselves. Sometimes it feels like you're really there with them as explosions and weightless tools float all about the place.
However, the only thing that lets this masterpiece down is the story (or lack of it). They get caught up in one explosion. Escape. Move on to the next explosion. Escape. Then rinse and repeat for an hour and a half. Having only two characters in the film kind of means that you know both won't die otherwise the movie will have to end.
'Gravity' is truly an epic movie in all aspects (apart from the story... possibly). It's definitely in the same league as '2001: A Space Odyssey' in terms of scale, drama and awe. However, what made it so good was also its drawback. Having long drawn-out shots and minimal cast never really felt like a 'story-film' (if you know what I mean). Sometimes I felt like I was at the Epcot Centre in Disney World watching an exhibition on what space was like.
Yes, Gravity is breath-taking and will certain be hailed as a modern day classic by many. And, I'm definitely glad I saw it. Will I watch it again? No. Once is enough, thanks.
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