Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Gravity: A Terrifyingly Realistic Plunge Into The Perils Of Space That Matches The Sum Of Astronaut Fears!


"Clear skies ... with a chance of satellite debris ..." - Dr. Ryan Stone

Imagine standing at the edge of a cliff. You have no glider, no parachute, and no zip line. You lean forward. All instinct and reason tells you to back away, but, at the same time, something inside urges you to go ahead, pulling you, as if you’re falling already. Now, imagine floating adrift in space. You have no MMU, no tether, and no oxygen. The slightest pull, the smallest push, will ensure your fate—and the edge of this astronomic cliff is everywhere. No matter where you go, you will fall. Add a masterful use of 3D and long, seamless shots that draw you in without ever letting you go, and you will feel the vertigo that is the sum of all astronaut fears. Cuarón and crew’s Gravity is a beautiful and terrifyingly realistic plunge into the perils of space, with stomach-churning, nail-biting fair that hasn’t been felt since Cameron’s The Abyss.

It’s Dr. Ryan Stone’s first shuttle mission—and Matt Kowalski’s last—when a missile launch causes a chain reaction, turning all of Earth’s satellites into speeding-bullet shrapnel. This leaves the two surviving astronauts adrift in space with no communications and little oxygen left. Ryan is ready to throw in the towel, for she is as alone in space as she would be on Earth. Matt won’t stand for it, so he does everything in his power to help Ryan find her will to keep living. Their only hope lies in the escape pods of abandoned stations—before the debris makes another pass.

Being a lover of space, this is the kind of film I’ve always wanted to see. The big question, however, was if Hollywood could pull this off. They’ve given space their best shot through the years, but every entry seemed too reliant on blockbuster formulas for me to drop my suspension of disbelief. Not this time. With the help of Cuarón and son’s combined screenwriting, Gravity has an entirely new formula. From the first, mesmerizing view of Earth to the heart-stopping conclusion, Gravity will make anyone feel like an astronaut.

And they will certainly come to fear what they fear.

The nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey was an especially nice touch.

The duration of this 91 minute film is mostly, if not entirely, made up of radio communications. Any sound effect you hear is what the characters hear through the vibrations of their suits. Never has 91 minutes felt so long! And is this film worth seeing in 3D? Roger that! Unlike other post-conversion productions, this film clearly had 3D in mind for its audience, and it actually does help with the immersion process. Add a subtle, magnificent score that plays only when it needs to and you have an experience that’s waiting to be had—quiet when the view is enough and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful during a deadly game of tug-of-war with an exploding space station.

Brilliant sound editing and game-changing special effects aside, my only rift with the film is the mechanics used in supplying empathy for Ryan, our lead role. We’re made to feel sorry for her from the get-go, yet the reason isn’t particularly clear, and her brief back story is given at tiny increments throughout the film, as if the subject is heavy enough to carry the story along. Then again, this story is about being stranded in space. Not much of a story, but it compensates itself with long shots and few scene cuts, making the story pan out like it’s happening in real time.

I’ve said elsewhere that Ender’s Game could be the first sci-fi film in years to draw major Oscar attention—I take that back. Gravity is about as near perfect as a film gets, and it reminds us of why we go to the movies in the first place. Clooney and Bullock make a fantastic pair in a film that has already reached the highest star of Cuarón’s filmography and one of the best of the year. Gravity is my first “must see” of 2013, and I’m sure it will be remembered come Oscar time.

Cosmic Cruller Rating:

*     *     *

What's your favorite space movie? Thinking of going to see Gravity? I promise you'll survive the experience ... no really, I promise!

I'm David, and "I have a bad feeling about this mission."


20 comments:

  1. Agreed - an excellent film and a must in 3D. It felt very real and the lack of sound was chilling.

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  2. Yep. I caved to all the hype and watched it. Agree with you on every single point. So worth seeing. Can't wait until I see it again. And as someone who wanted to be an astronaut throughout my youth, this movie makes me want to be one even more, surprisingly. So beautiful.

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  3. The woman's name is Ryan? That seems confusing. My brother said according to experts there are a number of mistakes in the film, but I'd like to see it anyway, preferably in 3D.

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  4. Indeed sounds a good film, my late husband was a space film addict also space programmes on TV. He would have a field day if he was still here with us. Great post.
    Yvonne.

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  5. You've definitely recruited me David. Also I'm glad they took a risk doing the movie in this fashion. It's not all explosions and aliens to make a great film in outer space.

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  6. My favorite space film? I'd have to say any of the Star Treks. Just watched the last one and enjoyed it...even if a new Star Trek does make me miss my dad. And Ender's Game will be bitter sweet. My dad loved those books way back when I had to scour the net to find him copies!

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  7. I heard there is lack of anti-gravity when it came to Sandra's hair... I haven't seen it yet so I can't judge. But I'm dying too!

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  8. There are no game changing special effects. They didn't do anything that was new or different.
    Still, it's a beautiful movie. My review will be up Friday (I think).

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  9. I wasn't as invested in the characters as most people, but it was a visually stunning film. And it was very original, as I can't think of another film like it.

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  10. It was a stunning film. THE WIRE has a unique thought of a LOST explanation of the ending. GRAVITY was my birthday present to myself!

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  11. I haven't seen it yet but I've heard nothing but good. I really want to see Ender's Game. I hope they do a good job with it.

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  12. My review of Gravity will be in my local newspaper tomorrow. (They have a section every Thursday with articles by two students from each local district.) I must agree.

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  13. It looks like a great movie, and I bet it would be amazing to see in 3D. I might have to shell out the cash to go see it.

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  14. I've read other places that Gravity is a yawner because there just aren't enough action scenes. But I like Apollo 13, which was also all about the astronauts experience with fear, and that is one of my favorite movies. I think I'll like Gravity. Thanks for the insights.

    ........dhole

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  15. Cheers for the review and I am definitely feeling a gravitational pull toward this movie... although it will probably be on TV Land before I get to see it :)

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  16. I do want to see Gravity, and with the things I'm hearing about it it might just be worth the babysitter. No 3D for me though, gives me migraines.

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  17. I've been meaning to see this...I just hope it lives up to the hype:)

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  18. I've heard such good things about it!

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  19. I really want to see this one. I am hoping to find time this weekend while my family is visiting the Pocono Mountains.

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  20. You know, when I first saw the promo for this, it didn't sound all that good. But I've been hearing great things about it, especially the 3D. We will definitely see this now.

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