Gravity – Movie Review

You owe it to yourself to see “Gravity.” This isn’t because it tells a complex and inspired story, or because its stars, George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, give truly memorable performances that resonate once the credits roll. “Gravity” isn’t a movie that will really amaze in traditional Hollywood categories, but is truly unique. There has never been a movie like “Gravity,” and I don’t see one coming anytime soon.

The first thing I noticed about “Gravity” was its sound. The movie’s use of surround sound is sublime, and the radio effects at the beginning of the film sounded so real, one of my fellow moviegoers yelled; “turn it off,” believing somebody was listening to a radio. This really speaks volumes to just how good the surround sound was, and I can in good faith say that it was the best use of the technology I had ever experienced. The score was also superb, relying on a single electronic track that ran throughout the film and increased in intensity when the action got going. When “Gravity” kicks into high gear, it is exhilarating, and probably one of the most exciting movies, in terms of dramatic tension, I have seen all year. The film’ s inherent thrills, which stem from the dangers of space, combine with the score to create an experience unlike any other.

“Gravity” is incredibly well realized visually, and is easily the best-looking film currently in theaters. The shots of Earth from space are breathtaking, and the tension of the action sequences is bolstered by the strength of the visual effects. Watching a storm of debris roar in from space and tear into the space station is visceral, unnerving, and beautiful all at once and the beauty of the visuals juxtaposed with the horror of the situation create an intriguing portrait.

“Gravity” is not a perfect movie however, and it must be said that the dialogue is lacking compared to the strength of the sound and the visuals. I felt that some of Sandra Bullock’s lines were overly cheesy and while George Clooney handles the camp of his lines perfectly, the same type of dialogue sounds awkward coming from Bullock. This isn’t usually problematic for most films, but with Clooney and Bullock being the only actors for a large portion of the film, it can be hard to overlook. That being said however, Sandra Bullock does give a solid performance and it is interesting to watch her character develop from a green medical doctor on her first space voyage to a wily space survivalist. George Clooney is quite good, playing the seasoned veteran astronaut, and brings some much-needed humor and light-heartedness to the otherwise somber film.

The question on the minds of most prospective viewers is probably; “how realistic is this movie?” Now, I’m not a physicist or an astronaut so any glaring scientific flaws did not jump out at me. I did do a little digging however, and the film does take a few liberties with the laws of physics. Again, this won’t be noticeable to the casual viewer, but it needs to be known that “Gravity” tends to bend scientific fact for the sake of the plot, although it probably would not have been as effective otherwise.

You should see “Gravity.” It is an experience like no other and I don’t believe it would have the same effect on DVD. Come to “Gravity” for the visuals, the incredible sound, and the viscerally thrilling action sequences. If you can get past the sometimes cheesy dialogue and the scientific inaccuracies, you will have a good time, and you will be relegated to the edge of your seat for the entirety of the film. I give Gravity a 9.5/10.