Review of Gravity

Gravity is a science fiction and space film written, produced, edited and directed by Alfonso Cuaron, the director best known for 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. However all the talk I have heard of the movie centered on one name; lead actress Sandra Bullock.

The film stars Sandra Bullock as bio-medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone, a mission specialist on her first space shuttle mission which is to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. During the final spacewalk, NASA warn her team of debris from a Russian missile strike in a satellite. Shortly after, the debris hit the team and the only survivors  are Stone and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney). With their shuttle destroyed and communications from NASA lost, Stone and Kowalski has to find a way to safely go back to Earth.

If that sounds like a simple plot, that's because it is. Gravity is a very simple survival movie, only it is set in space. 3 things however made it more than just that.

1)Alfonso Cuaron shows a steady hand in the director's chair and belief in the performance of his two leads.

2) It is a beautiful film. The special effects of the movie is great. I didn't watch it in 3D but even then, I was very very impressed with it. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki was brilliant as he managed to show the beauty of space in all its glory.   

3) Bullock won the Best Actress award at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance in The Blind Side in 2009. She is going to win another hatful of awards for her role as Ryan Stone.

The third point is extremely important as Gravity is basically a one person film. No other actors shows up except for Bullock and Clooney, and Clooney is basically a glorified extra here. The movie depends on Bullock and she delivers. Even when she was in her spacesuit, Bullock was able to bring to life Stone's life on Earth. You could feel her pain as she was discussing the death of her young daughter in a schoolyard accident with Clooney. The performance is even more remarkable when you consider the fact that we can't see her expressions. And the end when she finally reached Earth; her joy at finally feeling the gravity of Earth? Brilliant!

I won't say Gravity will be the best movie you'll see this year but with great special effects and a very solid performance from Bullock, this will be one of the better ones. Go and watch it!