Gravity Review

Gravity, the absurdly popular film that basically everyone is crazy about. Does it deserve the hype?

Considering that a ton of people ranging from movie critics to fellow bloggers praised Gravity as one of the best of the year, you it should be no surprise that I was excited for the film, and in terms of special effects, Gravity most certainly delivers. It is a visual and audio spectacle that are almost worth seeing for the visuals alone. Unfortunately, the visuals and audio are virtually the only thing the film has going for it.

Obviously, I watched the movie at home on Blu-Ray on an HDTV, and it is probably the best looking Blu-Ray I have seen. From what basically all of the reviews of the movie have said is that you have to watch it in 3D. While watching it in 3D would have probably enhanced the experienced, I am glad that I did not pay $13+ to see it in IMAX 3D, because I want more for my money in terms of story and characters, but the price of renting the Blu-Ray at the Redbox is certainly worth it.

Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
Genre: Thriller, Drama,
Release Date: October 4, 2013
Running Time: 91 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Stunning visuals effects, Wonderful direction, Impressive sound design, Excellent cinematography, Strong performances, Gripping first half, Great review,

The Bad: Several dumb character actions, Generic and clichéd characters, Predictable second half, Weak script,

Plot: 4.2/10- Gravity has an incredibly simple plot. Basically, astronauts are in space and crap happens for 90 minutes. Thanks to technical aspect, the first half was suspenseful and unpredictable; unfortunately, the second was entirely predictable. In terms of plot, there is not much to it, which I suppose is that point. Also, the movie tries to manipulate the viewer's emotions, and it definitely failed at affecting me in any way, but I guess I can see others feeling differently.

Characterization: 4.3/10- Despite the film's small cast, none of the characters are more than clichéd caricatures. The main protagonist, Dr. Ryan Stone, is an incompetent scientist, who should never have been allowed in space, with a tragically generic backstory that is supposed to manipulate the emotions of the audience. Lieutenant Matt Kowalski is a charismatic and entertaining, yet one dimensional, astronaut. *Spoilers* One part that completely took me out of the movie is that when Ryan was low on oxygen; she and Kowalski continued to carry on a conversation as if there was no problem. I know that he was trying to calm her down, but talking consumes a lot of oxygen, especially if there is very little left. Also, I sincerely hope that we do not send astronauts into space that are incompetent as Stone was in the movie. I know she is just a scientist, but astronauts go through some rigorous training before going into space. *End Spoiler*

Action/Suspense: 7.5/10- During Gravity's first half, it had several genuinely thrilling and suspenseful moments. As stuff is being destroyed, it is certainly a visually stunning experience that can be entertaining to watch. Unfortunately, in the second half, most of the suspense was gone due to the utter predictability of the plot. I wanted to feel more tension, but when you can basically figure out what is going to happen next, there is not a lot driving the audience to feel tension. Fortunately, since I avoided all spoilers and trailers, I knew virtually nothing about what happened in the movie except for the first two minutes, which added to the suspense of the movie, even if it was predictable.

Acting: 8.1/10- Sandra Bullock in the leading role is fine. She overacts at certain points, and her character comes off as a little too inexperienced and clichéd, but that is mostly the material rather than the performance. George Clooney is the best part of the movie thanks to his natural charisma and likable performance.

Special effects: 9.9/10- Special effects are Gravity's strongest aspect. From the stunning cinematography, almost all of which was done digitally, to the thrilling visuals rushing past the screen, Gravity is a visual treat. Except for some scenes obviously being computer generated, the effects are believable and extremely well executed considering that the movie is basically an animated one with talking heads. The 1080p video quality of the Blu-Ray is simply immaculate. It is one of the best looking movies I have seen on Blu-Ray. From a directorial standpoint, Alfonso Cuarón nails it. He actually makes first-person perspective effective and not annoying. Also, the movie certainly earns the awards for the technical aspects of the film.

Sound Design: 10/10- Gravity's sound design is equally amazing as its visuals. The deep bass tones in the film are particularly effective at making the audience feel as though you are inside the spacesuit with the characters.

Soundtrack: 9.5/10- Except for some generic "emotional" music, Steven Price's score is top notch. The soundtrack is often similar to that of Jaws in how it makes the audience feel the tension of the situation. While the predictability of the plot lessens the score's effectiveness in the second half, it is used to great effect in the first half.

Humor: N/A- 

Entertainment Value: 7.3/10- Again, the first half was great and entertaining, but when you know exactly how the second half is going to end, it takes away a lot of the fun.

Overall: 7.7/10- Thanks to the stunning visuals and excellent sound design, Gravity is a feast for the eyes and ears that is worth seeing for its technical proficiency alone, and unfortunately, that is about the only thing going for it.

Closing comments: Now that a lot people disagree with my opinion for not giving a perfect score to Gravity, I just have to say that I wanted to like the movie more, but giving my honest and unfiltered opinion is what I do, even if it does not go along with the pack. Gravity has a few problems, most of which come from the script, but it is still a very good movie.

Recommended for: Space enthusiasts, Thriller fans, Special effects fans,

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