Movie Review Gravity (2013)

Gravity (2013) Movie Review

 

It’s Mission to Mars…without the mission…or Mars….

I think it was before Elysium [read my review here] that I saw the trailer for Gravity and I thought: If this is the whole movie, then I don’t want to see it. Turns out- that was the whole movie and it’s still darn good. Alfonso Cuaron directs a story about survival and hope after space debris threatens a team of astronauts during a satellite repair operation. It stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as Matt Kowalski and Ryan Stone as the pair doing their best to survive despite incredibly long odds.

Space can be frightening without monsters or aliens.

Gravity features stunning special effects, camera angles and wonderful 3-D work. Although the movie works in 2-D, the cosmic peril of space missions is brought, literally, right before our eyes. On the surface, Gravity is about the lack of gravity and how important a force of nature it can be. If you want, Gravity is about two star actors in a minimal plot that sets up frightening scenario after frightening scenario. It’s a simple thing to hurl debris and metal parts at us until we dodge, bob and weave in our seats. It’s enough to make us gasp as fingers miss a hand hold or an object floats by- just out of range. Below that, Gravity is about the gravity that anchors us in place. It’s the force that holds our feet down and is the deciding factor between choosing to give up or carry on. This film represents a triumph in special effects and minimal storytelling. Gravity forgoes many of the space-movie tropes and clichés by bypassing common set ups and getting right to it- and sticking to it.

In the end, Gravity gives a big emotional push and left me a feeling of…glad I don’t have to be out there doing that and a greater appreciation for what NASA and it’s team of astronauts are doing and have already done. [On a wider, global level, to be honest] The next time you hear about a space walk or satellite repair, you’ll think about those daring few and view those grainy news clips differently. Nice ending line: You’ll appreciate the gravity of their situation and Gravity is a movie worth appreciating. I’m not a movie critic; I’m just critiquing a movie.