Review: Gravity

NEVER BEFORE HAVE I undergone such an immersive and enveloping experience as I did last night when watching Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity.

[caption id="attachment_677" align="alignright" width="300"] You might feel a bit lost in space whilst watching Gravity. Credit: Warner Bros.[/caption]

This primarily comes with the fact that last night was the first ever 3D movie I’ve ever seen (You don’t have to tell me how far behind with the times I am, I already know). The word movie won’t do Gravity justice, the only word applicable is experience.

Typically there’s an unstated disconnection when one leaves the dimly lit cinema and returns back to reality. First, there’s the harsh adjustment your eyes have to make as they get used to the shining lights of the theater lobby. Next, there’s the faint audio acclimation your ears undergo as in most cases, the surround sound system of the complex sounds better than real life. But when I left the comfortable confines of my cinema chair last night, something different happened. There was no disconnection. I was still in space.

Leaving the theater still dizzy and feeling rather heavy, weighed down by – wait for it – gravity, was a humbling experience to say the least, and I have the outstanding visuals of Cuarón to thank for that. Never before have I been so physically absorbed in what was happening on the screen, a truly remarkable achievement by Cuarón as he uses unconventional twisting camera angles and special effects to convey the feelings of zero gravity to the viewer.

The film tells the story of first-time space-goer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and ‘last day on the job’ veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) as they are forced to fight for their lives in outer space once disaster strikes when debris from a Russian spaceship destroys their shuttle. What we’re left with is a film that brilliantly conveys how alone one can feel in such a boundless environment.

Any fears about a ninety-minute film having only two actors featured should be completely alleviated as viewers are treated to two typically stellar performances from Bullock and Clooney. I can assure you that what the film lacks in characters, it is more than made up for in intensity, as the movie shifts from one action scene to another with little chance of a rest. The supporting actor for this one is the vast landscape which completely surrounds the audience throughout the film. Each star is beautifully placed and shots of the Earth are completely awe-inspiring, you owe it to yourself to see this one in 3D, if you can.

A few slight holes in the plot may leave some audience members questioning, and at times the movie could be critiqued for perhaps being ‘too Hollywood’, but these are extremely minor flaws in what is a remarkable cinematic experience. Don’t bother buying popcorn for this one, you’ll be too engrossed to enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiTiKOy59o4