Movie Review: Gravity

A Visually Stunning and Unique Sci Fi Thriller

I saw this movie in Imax 3D, and at times I felt as though I drifted through space with no sense of up or down. This movie is visually stunning in an unnerving sort of way. It opens with a few sentences about how there is no air pressure or sound in space, then concludes with the sentence: Life in space is impossible. *Gulp*

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are fabulous. There is just enough back story on both characters to make you understand them and sympathize with them. Sandra Bullock plays the usual tough, smart girl with a soft side, and George Clooney basically plays himself- the likeable jokster. The only thing that took me out of the story at times was the fact that I knew both these actors so well. Sometimes it was like, "look- there's Sandra Bullock and George Clooney pretending to be astronauts."

It may have been more believable with lesser known actors. But, maybe lesser known actors couldn't have pulled off the same depth of character and nuance. Sandra Bullock's character, Ryan, has quite the character arc. Who knows?

The script is amazing. It is a perfect example of "showing" and not "telling". You get a sense of these characters from the way they interact with Houston and with each other all in the first fifteen minutes. George Clooney has a way of making his lines seem so natural, like he just thought them up on the spot. For some strange reason, he reminded me of Buzz Lightyear! But, I digress.

Without giving too much away, one scene towards the end was especially well written. It gives you exactly what you wanted to see, then takes it all away again. I know the writers took a chance on including it, and it adds so much to the story leaving you guessing if it was a vision, a dream, or something else.

Totally recommended.