Moroni's Review of "Gravity"

Sandra Bullock in "Gravity"

This film will speak to almost everyone on a primal level.  I can scarcely think of a kid that has not wanted to be an astronaut.  I was no exception.  But I cannot think of anyone who does not have an innate fear of drifting weightless, in the cold of space, high above the earth, and unable to return to your ship.

This is the premise of "Gravity" - directed by Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron and starring Sandra Bullock.  Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a mission specialist onboard a space shuttle mission high in orbit above the earth.  The movie starts out with the team EVA, working on a satellite.  A cloud of debris suddenly pelts the shuttle, destroying the shuttle, sending her spinning into the blackness of space.  She teams up with another survivor, Lt. Matt Kowalski (played flawlessly by George Clooney), whose cheery demeanor in spite of their hopeless odds is enough to rally the doctor.  With their oxygen running low, they head for their only chance of survival - a Chinese space station.

This movie is riveting and will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Visually, the film is stunning with its dazzling panoramas of space, the stars, and Earth.  Usually, I am fairly ambivalent about watching movies in 3D, but I have to admit that 3D augmented my viewing pleasure, gave you the depth that created illusion that you were floating in the darkness with her.  It also had you flinching at space debris careening off the screen.  The zero g physics were flawless, which was refreshing to see in an industry known for ignoring realistic scientific principles.  Some of the scenes were intense and reminded me of "Mission to Mars", a movie already thirteen years old, but one I love.

There times when the camera spinning from the point of view was a little disconcerting and nauseating, but the story soon made you forget that.  The movie starts at a quick pace and does not slack for the duration, but gives enough back-story in flashing glimpses that gives the characters a sense of dimension.  But characters are dwarfed by the immensity of the backdrop and the sense of suffocation and empathy for the characters.  I loved that the cast was small.  A huge ensemble would have ruined this movie.  Mainly it was just Sandra Bullock, adding to the sense of isolation.

If you have not seen this movie yet, go see it.  It will keep you in free fall from start to finish.