Movie Review - Gravity (2013)

Going into Gravity I knew I'd like the visuals. The effects looked stunning in the trailers and Alfanso Cuaron demonstrated he knew how to craft visuals Children of Men. The question was, could Sandra Bullock sustain the film, since she'd be in much of it by herself. The answer, thankfully, is yes. It's not a perfect role; there are moments when she talks to herself that are unnecessary. The most egregious is a scene that involves an errant ham radio broadcast that she picks up in a language she doesn't understand. It goes on for a while and ends with her howling along with the broadcasters dog, which is laughable. And, yes, there are technical flaws, although some of these can be overlooked since this is set in some kind of alternate universe, in which the US has a functioning Shuttle program and the Chinese have a large space station. If you want to see a good overview of the flaws in the film, check out Time Magazines write-up.

In space, stuff blows up real good.

The question isn't really "is it scientifically accurate" No, the question is "is it a good story with believable characters in engaging situations?" And, the answer is, "yes." Clooney and Bullock both deliver performances that are sympathetic. The script by Alfonso Cuaron and his son, Jonas, creates believable people who act mostly in reasonable ways. The single biggest problem is the way Clooney dies. Quite simply, it makes no sense, if you know anything about physics. I don't mind weird orbital mechanics or equipment oddities; but, when you violent basic physics in order to create drama, I have a problem with that. This was the one moment in the film when I literally said "Oh, come on, that's dumb."

Not feeling so sexy in those spacesuits, are you guys? Ah, damn, it's Clooney and Bullock...of course they are.

I'll leave out the ending, accept to say I didn't it, even though there is a lot of suspension of disbelief involved.

Even with the criticism, this is still a really good movie, one that deserves to be seen on the big screen in order to appreciate Cuaron's visuals and has a story and acting that makes this more than just pretty pictures. Check it out.