Gravity Review

'Gravity' is a masterpiece. An awe-inspiring mix of action, horror and humanity. It has been seven years since Alfonso Cuarón gave us 'Children of Men' but it was worth the wait. There's never been any movie quite like 'Gravity'. The imagery presented in this film is simply mind-boggling. It's an amazing accomplishment.

However all that craftmanship would've been for naught, had the story not worked on a basic human level. Astronauts Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Kowalski (George Clooney) are on a shuttle mission. They are on a routine spacewalk when things go terribly wrong. In a matter of seconds their shuttle is destroyed and they find themselves adrift in space. 

From then on it's a story of survival. Through the magice of storytelling, we experience Stone's ordeal as if we're there with her. The film works like clockwork. The timing of action and emotional beats is impeccable. It's been a long time since I've seen such economical storytelling in a big budget feature. It's a refreshing surprise.

It's apparent that Alfonso Cuarón strived to make 'Gravity' as realistic as possible. In the opening sequence, people and objects are seen gliding effortlessly through the zero-g environment. Earth fills up the screen behind them. It's a beautiful moment. This tranquility lasts until the debris field moves into view. The effects of the debris hitting the spacestation are frighteningly violent. 

Cuarón overcomes the scientific impossibility of sound in space by employing Steven Price's effective musical score. It's a compelling soundtrack that combines beauty and dissonance. That is true for the movie as a whole. 'Gravity' shows the us the wonder and the insurmountable risks that come with space exploration. 

Still, it's the intimacy of the story that makes it so tangible. 'Gravity' is a small movie, set against a vast backdrop. We experience Stone's fight for survival as if it were our very own. The film owes its emotional power to Bullock's honest performance. The transformation she goes through is wonderful in its simplicity and the actress pulls it off brilliantly. 

'Gravity' is a work of pure artistic craftmanship. Seldom have I seen a film that hits home like this one does. Alfonso Cuarón and his cast and crew have created a film that is as close to perfection as you can get. This is filmmaking at its finest. That's why 'Gravity' is the most viscerally engaging film I've seen in a long time. It really is a masterpiece.