GRAVITY
Starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
In 2006, Alfonso Cuarón delivered the dystopian drama Children of Men which, in addition to exceptional world building, offered two of the most audacious, choreographed shots to have ever graced the big screen. Even if viewers werent cognisant of the technical bravura on display, they nevertheless felt its effect: without the benefit of a cut, tension was ratcheted up to almost unendurable levels.
Thankfully, a criminal seven years on the sidelines (blame the hoops Hollywood asks artists to jump through) hasnt dulled the directors skills in the least.
Gravity opens with an astonishing 17-minute shot that follows spacewalking astronauts Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) as they float around the Hubble Space Telescope, going about their business of repairing some minor damage. Making remarkable use of 3D visuals, Cuarón offers arguably one of the most convincing depictions of zero gravity ever committed to film. And yet, Ryan and Matts casual banter lends the scene the air of a blue collar workplace drama, grounding the proceedings and connecting us with the characters. Consequently, were shocked when a deluge of debris cuts them adrift from their shuttle and leaves them decidedly lost in space.
As the film shifts into a harrowing survival drama akin to 127 Hours, Cuarón continues to use every tool at his disposal to create one of the years most immersive and enthralling films. Youd be inclined to gripe about the ludicrousness of some of the plot developments if the end result wasnt so ridiculously entertaining. Its characters may be in freefall but Gravity soars.
