By David Seaman | Echo
Life is impossible in space. There is no gravity, no oxygen, no food, water or sustenance. No sound. It is cold and barren, with stars seeming so close together but in reality so far apart. Everything is distant. Now imagine a person, alone, in such an environment.
How can a person survive in such a place?Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a rookie astronaut on her first shuttle mission with veteran Matt Kowalski (George Clooney). When debris destroys their shuttle, Ryan and Matt are stranded in space with no link to Earth. As events continue to spin out of control, Ryan is forced to confront the terrifying vastness of the universe as she desperately tries to find a way home.
The premise may seem simple, but "Gravity" is anything but boring. Ryan's journey to find a way back to Earth is one of the most suspenseful experiences a viewer can have in a movie theater this year. Space may be huge, but "Gravity" makes it feel claustrophobic, limited in an unlimited universe. Ryan is confronted with one of humankind's greatest fears, being alone . . . and the audience is right there with her. It's terrifying. Director Alfonso Cuaron recognizes this fear and uses it to his advantage, alternating long single establishing shots (the first scene is 17 minutes uncut) with smaller cuts to maximize the intensity.
Visually the film is a masterpiece and raises the bar for cinema. Space has never looked so real, which is even more impressive considering the film is almost entirely shot with a CGI background. Visual effects and Cuaron's post-production use of 3-D creates an immersive experience like no other. We are there with Ryan-and then we are not. One moment we are inside her helmet, gasping at last breaths of air and surveying dead space, and the next we are outside looking at a small human in a massive universe.
The acting keeps "Gravity" from becoming too abstract, though it isn't trying to be a philosophical art film. Cuaron's smarter than that. He knows that most audiences relate to the idea of human resilience in the face of isolation and despair. Sandra Bullock portrays Ryan as a realistic astronaut who combines heroic determination with a sense of fear and vulnerability that makes us care for her. It's Bullock's best work in quite a while, and it would be a shame if the Academy Awards didn't offer her a nomination. George Clooney is also very good in his limited role, relieving the tension at key moments.
That said, the film isn't flawless. The symbolism is heavy-handed at points, and there are some leaps in logic. But those mishaps are minor compared to the elements that make up the remainder of the film. A well-told story with expert visual filmmaking-this is a combination that is rare today in an industry that favors one aspect over the other.
With master cinematography, a constant sense of awe and dread and a vulnerable performance by Sandra Bullock, "Gravity" is a near-transcendent experience. I highly recommend seeing it in IMAX 3-D for the full effect. However, be careful finding your footing when the credits roll. You may have to relearn how to walk again.
