Weird name for a girl right? Sandra Bullock is able to carry the entire movie with little help from her supporting cast that is literally George Clooney, and several others that are neither seen nor barely heard throughout the film. The characters seem well versed in the practicality of manned space exploration, and even Clooney is able to portray a sense of realism to the veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski, with a cheeky sense of his own petard. It may not be a complete Cast Away job with hours of Bullock all alone, but the same sense of claustrophobia and abandonment can be found. The soundtrack employed by the filmmakers heightens this in itself. When Ryan is flying through space and attempting to hang on to the outside of her ship or satellite, you can only hear sounds of the station and destruction when she is in direct contact. As there is no sound in the vacuum of space, the audio of the ship’s destruction and folly only transmit through the character’s COM link. Add a few heartbeats to the layers of Sandra Bullock’s panting for air and frequency vibes, and vuala! The greatest tension-building soundtrack since the innovation of Louis and Bebe Barron’s electronic score for Forbidden Planet (1956).
Known for his humanist approach to writing and filmmaking, Cuarón (Children of Men 2006, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004) has now brought a new reality to what may have seemed like just another space film. The shots of Bullock floating in the hull of one of the space stations, slowly moving into the fetal position as chords from the various craft’s equipment rap around her, is enough to make you think of the simplicity and solitude we all feel when at ease after an emotional storm. Coupled together with a sense of loss and longing for human connection, the survival instinct instilled in the film’s main character creates a philosophical connection to its title. “Gravity” seems to be more than just a reference to there being none in space. Placing your feet firmly on the ground and fighting for survival seem like the metaphors Cuarón is trying to portray. If the emotion and tension isn’t enough in itself, the incredible effects employed to show Bullock’s world literally spinning out of control can make you a tad nauseous.
Although 3D has received a bad rap over the last four years or so, Gravity’s special effects, supervised by 3D guru Chris Parks, have been praised by both audiences and critics. In a similar way to Avatar, Gravity feels like it was made for the heightened definition and depth that IMAX 3D can offer. Parks, whose work can be noted in The Tree of Life (2011), and Jack the Giant Killer (2013), stated this to The Hollywood Reporter about the visual conception of the movie:
"We talked about how his signature shots – [long takes during which] the camera moves around the subject -- could work fantastically well in 3D and about using wide-angle lenses to achieve the type of roundness and volume he was looking for," [speaking of Cuarón]
"We were able to make narrative use of 3D because Alfonso had integrated 3D with cinematography, visual effects and every other craft department from the outset,”
Gravity is visually stunning and beautifully crafted for the big screen. Although the film may not be lengthy running at only 91 minutes, the spiraling visuals and the relentlessness found in Bullock’s performance are enough to leave you feeling satisfied with the time you have spent in your seat. This film is worth the ticket price, and should be viewed on an IMAX screen if possible. In the last few years’ moviegoers have latched on to the fact that your average cinema screen is delivering lower volume in the theatre. I have yet to find out why this is, but I could not be more certain that a film like this deserves something extra. With Gravity’s striking soundtrack, it really does benefit from the booming volume and chest pounding bass that the IMAX offers. Gravity is out now, and is well worth the trip to space and back.
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