Review: Gravity (2013)

I was told I should watch this film at the IMAX, but I didn't get round to it.  Then I was told I should at least see it at the cinema but my Dad went without me while I was away.  So it was suggested I should buy the 3D Blu-ray and watch it that way (to get the full effect) but I didn't get around to buying it (and had I brought it I wouldn't have found the time or opportunity to watch it) and then finally, I should watch it on my laptop from LoveFilm/Sky Go.  Yet none of these things happened and I ended up watching this film on a 6in screen on an plane flying to the US (although the turbulence did provide a terrifying 4D element).  All my dreams of watching this visually stunning film in all it's glory were gone.

I was meaning to see this at the Giant Screen in Birmingham, then I ran out of time. Then I was meant to see it at my local cinema, and ran out of time again. There was even a special event put on where I work to see it, and guess what? I missed that too. Doh. I ended up watching it at home...

Gravity follows Medical Engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) as their shuttle is destroyed on a routine space walk leaving them stranded in space. (I am aware this is quite a short blurb but what more can I say?! That is literally the story!)

I didn't expect to enjoy this film necessarily, everyone was ranting and raving about it and I thought the trailer looked a little boring, although I was looking forward to seeing the visual effects.  They were definitely worth watching it for (even on a 6in plane screen) it was stunning and so well shot.  Also, I have to admit the story kept me entertained as well (which I didn't expect), I had a good laugh in some places and a sob in others and I shouted at the screen at some points when Ryan was doing something ridiculously stupid!

The thought of being alone in space with no way of getting home is terrifying for me, so I spent 90 minutes on the edge of my seat, while the 7 year old child sat next to me watched Insidious 2 without even twitching.  Furthermore, at one point he kindly tapped me on the shoulder 'Hey, are you ok?  Do you want a bubblegum?' which would have been fine, had the tap not made me jump out of my skin and shove my face into my flight pillow in shear panic!

I'm really glad that I didn't see this at the cinema now because some of the camera shots made me quite giddy, even sat at home! Gravity was visually mesmerising though, I could have quite happily sat and just watched the background for an hour.

I read somewhere that the movie is shot to be indicative of Ryan rebirth since losing her child and the foetal position that she rotates in the and the tunnels represent fallopian tubes.  I didn't see this if I'm honest,  maybe I was too busy panicking to notice any clever metaphors. What? That's crazy, if it's true then fair enough but some people read into things way too much...

Overall, I loved this.  Even on the smallest of small screens it's visually stunning and the screenplay is cleverly written.  Sandra Bullock (one of my top favourite actresses) is amazing, with barely any lines she manages to show exactly how Ryan would be feeling and reacting to everything that's happening and that has already happened to her.

I really did enjoy Gravity and I think it's a film that everyone should watch once. However, I don't know if it really has much replay value. For me it's more of a must see once, then leave it.

If you are like me and your not sure about this, do it anyway, you will be surprised.  Maybe, I liked it more because I had no expectations.