From the moment we are born our bodies adapt to the world around us. We begin to breathe automatically, and we later gain a sense of balance and marvel at the sky above us. Few humans physically leave this planet, but we dream of space from our safe environment.
“Gravity” strips comfort from its characters and its audience. The film’s story is of first-time engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) as they finish up a mission on the Hubble Telescope when debris from a destroyed satellite group hails down on their crew.
“Gravity” is a kinetic film. It clocks in at only 90 minutes and wastes no time but immediately becomes a thriller. This is not a character piece. It is a fight for survival in a landscape devoid of oxygen, sound and control. The first 15 minutes give the audience a snapshot of Clooney and Bullock’s characters and then barrages theatergoers with conflict.
Space may be the final frontier, but it is also incredibly unforgiving and brutal. The two astronauts wonder what their friends and family do as they recover in one of the few quiet moments the film allows. Their fellow crew members are not as lucky, and the audience sees how one mistake can lead to the end of the journey.
The two actors carry the movie similar to actors like Tom Hanks in “Castaway” and Will Smith in “I Am Legend.” In each scene either Clooney or Bullock fights to save him or herself or the other. The two are yin and yang. Clooney is the space cowboy ready to retire, and Bullock is the former doctor who is the fish out of water on her first mission. Both nail their characters, especially Bullock, who takes the comedy out of her role and demonstrates how she can control a thriller.
Visually, “Gravity” is the new benchmark for CGI and 3D craftsmanship. Director Alfonso Cuarón uses special effects to give the audience both the feel of open space and the claustrophobia Bullock and Clooney experience. The audience hears tools or fiery explosions as if submerged in water. Sight replaces hearing and a lot of time from one of the astronaut’s point of view. If there was ever a movie to be seen in 3D or IMAX, “Gravity” is the one.
“Gravity” is complex because most of us will never experience the vacuum of space, but we all know fear. When the oxygen tanks start to run low, our breathing starts to slow. When a character separates from a space station and spins without control, we feel the dizziness and weightlessness. The broad canvas allows the audience to project its own fears and worries onto the screen. “Gravity” is not a flashy action movie. It is a subtle, groundbreaking cinematic experience.
