GRAVITY
Opens October 3
Rated M
91 min
Although set in space, Alfonso Cuarón’s tense, minimalist thriller isn’t exactly science fiction.
Firmly grounded in the present, the film balances its moments of extreme, exhilarating tension against tender moments of human drama.
More importantly, Cuarón seems fascinated by the reality of life in space, making convincing use of this most hostile of environments.
That dizzying moments of chaos and destruction play out in silence only makes them more gut-wrenching.
Two astronauts, a rookie and a retiring veteran are stranded in space after a freak accident. As the latter, George Clooney is at his charming, unshakeable best.
Rookie Sandra Bullock is brittle but engaging, a woman out of her depth but still swimming. She has already been drifting for some time, following a personal tragedy.
Cuarón’s superb use of 3D makes his zero-gravity environment utterly immersive. Teardrops tremble out towards us and space debris hurtles into the front row. These silent, balletic action sequences are as beautiful as they are devastating.
Our planet makes the most stunning of backdrops, in all its danger and wonder, transfixing us just as it occasionally overwhelms the protagonists.
As clever as it is exciting and as complex as it is contained, Gravity is destined to be one of the year’s best films.
