This Alfonso Cuarón Gem Is Still One of the Most Visually Stunning Space Movies Ever Made
It's an incredibly beautiful and technically accomplished story about the power of the human will.
Alfonso Cuarón's techno-thriller Gravity was one of the most talked-about sci-fi films of the decade when it was released. The movie triumphed at the 2014 Oscars, winning seven awards, including those for Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
Shot using groundbreaking technology, Gravity offers a breathtaking spectacle and a poignant story about accepting loss and the strength of the human spirit.
What Is 'Gravity' About?
Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer, embarks on her first space mission under the command of veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski. While performing routine tasks, disaster strikes – the shuttle is destroyed by space debris, leaving Stone and Kowalski stranded in the pitch-black void.
They have lost contact with Earth and all hope of rescue. Fear turns to panic, and with each breath, their oxygen supply dwindles.
The only way home lies through the terrifying depths of space. For Stone, it's not just a fight for survival, it's also about coming to terms with the loss of her daughter, who died several years ago.
'Gravity' Was a True Technical Breakthrough That Still Impresses Today
Gravity is still cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki's most technically challenging work, for which he earned his first Oscar. To film the zero-gravity scenes, a special cube six meters on a side was built with LED panels depicting space installed inside it.
The movie opens with a 17-minute, single-shot sequence that introduces the characters and sets the tone for the rest of the story. Gravity uses both traditional digital special effects and live-action footage of the characters in a huge glass cube with constantly changing lighting.
'Gravity' Portrays Space as a Place of Total Isolation and Loneliness
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For Alfonso Cuarón, space became the setting for a large-scale technical experiment – his film tests viewers' vestibular systems and invites them to immerse themselves in a limitless space.
Lubezki's cinematography transformed the movie into a pure exercise in choreography: the shot of Ryan curled up in the fetal position in a space capsule best illustrates her vulnerability in the face of endless nothingness.
Alfonso Cuarón abandoned the traditional science fiction plot, transforming space into a place of total isolation. Astrophysicist Jean-Luc Margot praised Gravity for its realism – the ultimate recognition for the creators.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Gravity'?
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Gravity has 96% from critics and 79% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.7/10.
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On Letterboxd, Gravity scored 3.5/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Gravity'?
Gravity is available to stream on Paramount+.
