Lost in space. Never
before has it felt terrifyingly realistic.
“Gravity” is a work of fiction, but it certainly doesn't feel like it. This summer at Comic-Con, director Alfonso
Cuaron said that it took over four years to figure out the technology of zero
gravity and shoot the film. The proof
is unmistakable. This is one film meant
to be seen on the big screen, in 3-D, and better yet, IMAX.
The silent opening stuns with the truth about being in
space; it's simply not livable. Then in
an astounding, long continuous take of earth and space, a shuttle comes into
view and magnifies, with living beings gliding in space. It shows how small humans are in the greater
universe.
Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock, "The Lake House"), a medical engineer on her first mission, is in the process of
installing a scanning device under the guidance of fleet commander Matt
Kowalski (George Clooney, “The Descendants”) and communication with
NASA. There's another astronaut working
on the exterior of the spacecraft and other crew inside.
While Kowalski goes on a jovial spacewalk, there's news that
clouds of debris are brewing and heading toward them at breakneck speed, a
chain reaction after a satellite is destroyed by the Russians. From the first strike, you'll find yourself
holding your breath and feel Dr. Stone's disorientation where she spins and
spins, and greatly fears of getting stranded and adrift in infinity. When she and Kowalski finally connect, the
goal is to get to the ISS and Chinese space station, call for rescue and find
their way back to earth.
Clooney charms in his limited role, injecting levity and
making light of the dark doom. Ultimately though, this is Bullock's
picture. Survival becomes Dr. Stone's
sole mission. Alone and adrift, she's
low on oxygen and fuel, nauseous and dizzy, desperate and scared to death. She must let go of the past, find the will
to survive, make the right trajectory to the space station and find a way back
home. The destruction of the space
station in the vast vacuum of space is eye-popping. The countdown toward earth in the end is one of the most
distressing scenes.
Cuaron and crew have designed a visual masterpiece, with
symbolic scenes that represent rebirth.
There's a claustrophobic feel and realism to the scenes. When every second counts, every gasp and
grasp, every jerk and hit could mean a chance for life or death. The 3-D is fully utilized, from sprays of
flying debris to specks of floating tears or fires. The sound design goes for maximum impact, alternating between
piercingly earthshaking and eerily quiet.
In the last several years, there have been films that
clearly merit technical accolades, visually or acoustically -
"Avatar," "Inception," "Life of Pi." "Gravity" falls in
this category.
A singular survival tale in space, “Gravity” is an experience
that marvels and mesmerizes. It's
probably the closest you'll ever be to being in space in this lifetime.