GRAVITY – The Review

Review by Michael Haffner

Alfonso Cuaron’s GRAVITY doesn’t begin with a stunning view of Earth from above or some crazy trick shot or some dense look at space and all the marvels it holds; don’t worry, all of that comes soon enough.  No, the film simply begins with some words set against a black screen that informs us about the atmosphere above Earth followed by a warning: Life in space is impossible.  For the next 90 minutes Cuaron uses every tool and trick of the trade to hammer home this point through some of the most impressive visuals you are likely to see in a film this year  . . . or any other year for that matter.  Just keep in mind that you are in space; so don’t be surprised if the film leaves you a little cold.

GRAVITY is essentially one unfortunate event that eventually dominos into multiple tense and exhausting sequences. Ryan Stone and Matt Kowalski are two astronauts working on the US Explorer when they hear of satellite debris from a Russian station storming towards them.  Pretty soon the two of them are clutching on to one another for dear life and figuring out what their options are as they are left to survive in space.

Cuaron has Bullock playing to her strengths.  As expected, she once again plays someone that is strong on the outside but struggling on the inside.  She’s the resilient woman who eventually will overcome her own personal obstacles through her our restored will and determination.  This is not to say that she doesn’t earn her stripes and move up from Miss Congeniality.  In fact, she’s very good in the role.  I don’t have a personal bias against the actress, it’s just that I’ve never seen her in a film where I became so engrossed in the character that I forgot I was watching Sandra Bullock.  The same can be said for George Clooney.  His easy smile and good-natured humor have served as character building attributes for many screen roles over the years.  And once again, Clooney coasts through . . . well . . . technically floats through . . . this film on his natural charm.

Outside of the two famous faces, the other major star of the film is the film’s impressive visuals.  Immersive doesn’t begin to describe Cuaron’s floating camera and ultra-realistic effects.  Several long shots – one lasting for more than 15 minutes – turn the camera into an aerial performer flipping and circling around the two leads like a Cirque du Solei gymnast.  A minimal score lets the precise sound design do all the talking.  Loud crashes, the scraping of metal satellite pieces, and heavy breathing create an anxiety-driven orchestra.  And then just like that, the film will cut to bleak silence that almost seems to dare the audience to take a moment to breathe.  Trust me though, you’ll be struggling to catch your breath during the majority of the film.

Yet for all the impressive feats on display by all involved, GRAVITY frequently left me feeling cold.  Even as a fan of the overall look of the film, I found myself tiring of Cuaron’s weightless camerawork and wanting more of a story than what felt like just one elongated sequence of survival.  An attempt is made in the finale to elevate the nerve-racking experience into some form of “new life” symbolism.  It’s hard to beat around the bush here without delving into some spoilers, but it should be noted that the film’s final images don’t beat around the bush either.  It’s as if Cuaron is not so subtly acknowledging one of the most famous science-fiction films ever made – 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY – and declaring that man doesn’t need the monolith anymore to signal a new stepping stone or to give us the power we need to advance in life. We can lift ourselves up by our own two feet.  Life is no doubt a struggle and by the time the credits roll (as well as the days that follow), you don’t necessarily connect with the character’s struggle and exhaustion as you simply feel, “wow . . . that movie looked really cool.”

3.5 out of 5 stars