Unless The Camera Orbits You, No One In Space Can Hear You Scream.

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2013)

Hands down, "Gravity" is 2013's best Sci-Fi movie. Within the last couple of years we've had one major effects spectacle each year, and Alfonso Cuaron has done wonders in crafting something both familiar and awe-inspiring. I don't know how he managed to pitch something this ambitious. Filmed in four months at Pinewood studios, heavily researched (to an extent) and shot entirely in impressive lengthy 15 minute takes. Cuaron, against all odds has managed to convince studios to let him make a film of incredible spectacle with some great cinematography by the inventive Emmanuel Lubezki. All in the black vacuum of space, he still manages to incorporate some of the darker traits from his previous movies as well as constantly keeping you on edge and building tension.
Short story short(er). Five astronauts get caught in the midst of razor sharp debris, resulting in the destruction of their spacecraft and heavy casualties. In a race against time before complete loss of oxygen, veteran Matt (Clooney) & newcomer Stone (Bullock) must work against all odds to get back to earth, or risk drifting away into the vast emptiness of space.
The roles are a breath of fresh air for both Clooney and Bullock. She has the most to prove as this is far different from her usual outings, and she managed to bring a performance I didn't know she was actually capable of (Even though she is a reluctant astronaut, thanks Louis C.K). It's really hard to go in depth on a film of this calibre, mostly because I personally kept away from the hype. In a nutshell, it features one of the most radical depictions of space in a long time, and proper NASA terminology and oxygen deprivation build a level of struggle and believability. Zero gravity has never looked so livid, and the constantly orbiting camera is as superb as it is nauseating. But I do want to make clear that even though I have praised this film for its levels of science, one key scene that changes the entire drama of the movie is where they float away from each other and the physics are altered for the sake of the story. It's a little gripe I know, but personally it definitely would have been wise to somehow alter that.
Final Verdict: Regardless, "Gravity" is a film that my praise lies mostly on superb camera skills, technicality and very imaginative craft than a story driven piece. Rest assured future depictions of space have a lot more to live up to from now on. 8/10.