Watching a movie that is as hyped-up as "Gravity" makes one go into the movie with too many great expectations of how brilliant it's going to be. As I watched the first 40 minutes, I was like "Mmmmh it's shot well but it lacks a heart and character " but by the last 40 minutes I was like: "Another one to enter into the classics for 2013 - take a bow Mr.Cuaron."
Cuaron, who made the teen-coming-of-age movie
Y tu mama tambien, the superb neo-sci-fi
Children of Men and yes
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ,brings to our screen a well crafted film that deals with shedding one skin and having the courage to start over, set in space.
Never ever, since Ripley in
Alien, has a woman gone through so many loops and challenges in space. Our woman being Sandra Bullock as Ryan Stone with the charming George Clooney as Matt Kowalsi who, togetherm have to survive space debris, short oxygen levels and literally being cut off from everyone in space after an accident happens while they fix the Hubble telescope. The characters have to depend on each other and their own will to live, to survive.
Now this sounds like a big explosions and high action stakes type of a Hollywood movie, but from the opening scene ,with space introduced as an absolute silent place. Cuaron clearly makes us aware that he is making an art house film with a blockbuster shell. The shot stays longer than usual. For example there are no cuts in the first 30 minutes of the movie,everything is done in one take.
There are no loud explosions to the carnage we see in movies such as Star Trek Into Darkness but above all, the characters are given opportunities to actually ponder their decisions, choices and to chose certain actions with us following along. That kind of character development is sadly lacking in many Hollywood movies of late.
For once Sandra Bullock and George Clooney do not overshadow the characters … this is not a Sandra Bullock playing an astronaut but this is a movie of a character that Sandra Bullock embodies. She gives a very understated and measured performance. Film school kids are going to love Gravity 'cause it deals well with the issue of form and content. From sound to picture to editing, everything adds to the storytelling; the visual and sound effects are all subordinate to the story and are not there for their own enjoyment.
For once, like
Life of Pi and
Avatar, 3D is used in this film as an instrument to storytelling, not just a gimmick. There's plenty of technical stuff that Cuaron does with his editing - choice of pacing and shooting that film buffs will go “wow” at - all this helps in telling the story and never feels intrusive or showy. Most of the visual effects do not draw attention to the fact that "These are effects shots - look at us and how much money with spend" or "how clever we are", but rather seamless elements within the story world.
With that said, the pacing might not be everyones cup of tea but those who sit through this film will appreciate the craft that Cuaron has put into this film and the life affirming message it gives. This is one of the best crafted and imagined stories /film of 2013. It won't leave you out of breath due to adrenalin but due to the audacity of it's scope and breaking of laws of physics but hey nothing is too perfect but this movie tries.