Review 209: "Gravity"

"Woof woof."

The One Where Sandra Bullock Falls in Space

      Gravity is a 2013 film released this past weekend. It currently has a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed a record-setting $55 million at the box office. It's directed and written by Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and was also written with his son, Jonas Cuaron (Year of the Nail). The film follows astronauts Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Kowalski (George Clooney), who after an incident with a russian satellite, find themselves struck drifting in space with no contact with mission control (Ed Harris), trying to survive and get back home to Earth.

Weeeeeeeeeeee!

Simple as Space

      I think what is deceiving people about Gravity is just how simple the whole thing is. The trailers aren't really underselling the movie. Gravity pretty much is just watch a pair of astronauts drifting out in space after an accident. But, obviously, Gravity is much more than that. Gravity, quite simply, is easily one of the best films of the year. The film, despite it's space setting, actually lends itself more to the horror genre than anything else and might prove to be the best Halloween film out this month. The concept of drifting endless alone in space until you die is a terrifying one and film uses it to it's greatest potential. The film is as thrilling and intense as it gets, probably the most intense film I've ever seen it theaters and it's simply because director Cuaron knows what to include. Even though there are three separate sequences of people trying to cling on to space debris to survive, each one feels new and terrifying. And despite our knowledge of who must live and who must die in order to keep the film at feature length, the film makes every twist and turn feel honestly surprising. What makes Gravity so good is simply great filmmaking.

The Technical Stuff

      It also help that Gravity is one of the most visual astonishing films in a long, long while. It honestly does look like the movies was actually filmed in outer space. The views of Earth are simply stunning and do makes it seem as if going into space is worth the risk, and that dying while looking at it isn't a bad way to go. The scenes of destruction of some of the best action set-pieces of the year and makes the action even more thrilling. Cuaron just plains knows what he's doing. Every frames of this movie could be turned into a painting worthy of any museum wall. The acting is also strong. Clooney is... well, Clooney, which works for the role. But, Bullock, an actress I normally don't like, is fantastic here, giving a career-best performances that makes he honestly thinly-written character enough likability to actually care about. Though, the film isn't perfect. As I said earlier, it is a bit repetitive. And on top of that, there are some moments that border on just plain silly, like the one that gives us our quote. But, these are mostly nitpicks. What is less of a nitpick is the fact that the film may simple not be as good a second time around, something that doesn't sit well with me. Nothing can really ruin Gravity.

The most beautiful horror ever.

The Verdict

      Gravity is just as much the masterpiece that you've heard. It's a high-point of filmmaking this year. Whereas Pacific Rim reminded me what having fun in a movie theater was at it's best, Gravity reminded me of what watching a movie in a movie theater was at it's best. Visually it's a work of art, entertainment-wise, it's striking and almost numbingly intense. Gravity is the reason I go to the movies. Gravity gets 6 stars out of 6.