Gravity is not a movie; it’s an experience. At least, that’s how people are talking about it.
With the proliferation of websites, subscription services, and digital passes for watching movies at home, moviemakers have found it necessary to increase the experiential aspect of watching a movie on a big screen in order to attract people to the theater. Gravity is an example of this strategy.
I usually wait for movies to come out on DVD, but the marketing push and word-of-mouth buzz from friends and family piqued my interest. I saw it in IMAX 3-D this weekend.
People are talking about Gravity for good reasons. (Spoiler Alert!)
1. Watching the movie is an immersive experience.
This movie creates the sensation for the moviegoer that you are in outer space. From the startling silence during key moments of the film to the 3-D effects that make it seem as if you are maneuvering your way through cosmic debris, Gravity was made for the big screen experience.
2. The storyline is compelling and is carried along by terrific acting.
We’ve seen movies before where a single actor carries most of the film. Castaway, for example, told the story of a man (played by Tom Hanks) trying to survive on a deserted island.
Films that rely so heavily on one actor usually rise or fall on the strength of the main character and the actor’s ability to keep moviegoers engaged. Gravity will probably win Oscars for cinematography, but it’s Sandra Bullock who particularly deserves an award. That Bullock can be so utterly believable as Dr. Ryan Stone is a tribute to her strengths as an actress.
What’s more, the supporting character in this film is not George Clooney, but the earth itself. There’s hardly a moment where we do not see our planet in the distance, its stunning, tranquil beauty juxtaposed with the chaos and emptiness of space. Our immense and beautiful “home” looming just out of reach, so close and yet so far, becomes a visual picture of transcendence.
3. The story does not shy away from questions about spiritual reality.
Gravity tackles philosophical and spiritual questions. At one point, the hopelessness of Ryan’s situation leads her to reflect on the inevitability of death. We’re all going to die, she realizes, but “I am going to die today.” The knowledge that death is coming leads to a striking scene where Ryan, hovering weightless in the space module, moves into a fetal position, with a tether around her like an umbilical cord. As she cries, her tears do not fall but float.
When all seems to be lost, Ryan turns to the subject of prayer, wishing someone could pray for her, but worrying that it is too late because no one ever taught her how. In the emotional climax of the film, the character is brought to the brink of death. But what seems most tragic is not just that the character is about to die, but that her death will take place alone, without the companionship of another human and without the spiritual ability to call for divine assistance. It’s striking to watch the spiritual dimension of human life come to the surface when a scientific minded, non-spiritual woman is facing her demise.
4. Humanity triumphs against all odds.
People love a story about someone beating the odds and surviving a horrible tragedy, and it’s no surprise that Gravity ends happily. The message of the film can be summed up like this: None of us will forever outrun death, so we might as well enjoy the ride.
But while this philosophy, in other circumstances, could lead to a hedonistic lifestyle, in Gravity it leads to gratitude. As Clooney’s character drifts away to die, he marvels at the beauty of the sun reflecting off the earth. We glimpse the beauty of the Aurora Borealis in a scene that adds pathos and wonderment to the sense of solitude in space. And Ryan, when she emerges from the water after arriving back on earth, stands up, wobbling on her feet, and says, “Thank you.” She may have survived the tragedy triumphantly, but even this woman who doesn’t know how to pray cannot keep from thanking someone.
