Review of Gravity (2013) by Daniel R — 22 May 2015

Rating: 8/10.

One such as me can't help but feel a great deal of excitement and anticipation when I see a film get critical reviews rating it in the 9 or above category and also see it receive 7 Oscars. Oh, and that level of eagerness is only ratcheted up to 11 when said film is directed by the genius behind Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Y Tu Mama Tambien. I admit that going into my first viewing of this film, I had extremely high expectations.

Ultimately, Gravity is a good film. And I mean that in the most disappointed sense of the word.

My high expectations proved to be far too high. As high as the space this film is set within. Alas, the movie doesn't reach such heights, and it really is a shame because it certainly looks like a film that is doing just that.

Visually speaking, Gravity is one of the most spectacular films I've ever seen. The special effects are among the very best in film history. No sci-fi film has ever made the awe, wonder, and horror of outer space come to life the way Gravity manages to. It is a visual feast for the eyes and one of the very few films that is required viewing in 3D. And that is where Gravity's greatness begins and ends, which is why the rest of it is so disappointing.

Much like its contemporary, Avatar, Gravity is an amazing looking film that has very little depth to it. There are times where it feigns depth, still like Avatar, but with very little digging one finds little to chew on. Yes, the horror and drama and action are engrossing and thankfully the film doesn't drag on and on, but it would've been nice to have something to talk about other than the film's special effects once the credits roll.

Even the performances aren't particularly noteworthy. Yes, Sandra Bullock was nominated for Best Actress for this film, but I just don't see why. She isn't bad at all. She does her job well and believably, but nothing at all stands out about her role. Clooney actually sticks out more in this film, and he's in it far less than Bullock. However, he doesn't really stick out for good reasons. In fact, one might say that Clooney's character illustrates everything wrong and disappointing about this film. His character is the cookie-cutter veteran of his profession who spews out old cliches and stale platitudes about survival until he ultimately *SPOILER ALERT* dies to keep the newbie alive. This is really all Gravity has to offer beyond its visuals: motivational survival speeches, "Look how beautiful the view is" cliches, and a lot of heavy breathing by Sandra Bullock.

I know, I'm harping on this movie a lot, despite giving it a good score. It is a good movie, but dammit it could have been great! It should have been great! I was told it was great! Alas, it's just good.