For many film enthusiasts, the idea of pairing up Hollywood superstars Sandra Bullock (Speed, The Blind Side) and George Clooney (Up in the Air, The Descendants) together would make you think they were doing another romantic comedy. They’ve done that many times in their prestigious careers! Fortunately the film they are starring in is anything but that. Several years in the making, Alfonso Cuaron’s audacious sci-fi thriller Gravity has already been touted as the new Avatar courtesy of its spectacular-looking visual effects and is currently being tipped for Oscar glory early next year. With that in mind, it’s time to get the 3D glasses out as it’s going to be a helluva ride….

SYNOPSIS: During a routine space mission, rookie medical engineer Ryan Stone (Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) are both alerted by Houston to abort their task as flying debris is heading their way. When their ship is destroyed by the debris, the pair find themselves adrift in space and are unable to communicate with Houston. Low on oxygen, they must work together to reach another shuttle but their objective is made more difficult by the uneasiness of floating around in space which threatens to cause problems in their battle to survive.

Straight from the outset, Gravity captivates us with its luminous opening shot of Earth in all its beauty with the camera remaining fixed on the planet for quite a while. Clearly this is meant to showcase the peaceful atmosphere of space in all its glory as Cuaron makes the pitch-perfect choice of hiring cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (Children of Men, The Tree of Life) to create something visually special that has previously worked successfully with the likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Star Wars (1977). The filmmaker then sets things in motion by slowly focusing us a small object heading towards us while dialogue is exchanged between our leading characters and Houston. For twelve enticing minutes, this long take initially shows a calm and routine day at the office for these two people as they try to get their job done quick. But once the word ‘abort’ comes into play, things change drastically as the duo battle to get back into their ship only for this flying debris to create mayhem as the characters are tossed and turned until Stone finds herself floating away from the havoc to complete this adrenaline-filled segment. Given the time it took to make this film, it isn’t surprising to see how much craft went into making it with the opening twelve minutes worth the ticket alone. From then on, claustrophobia sets in as we experience the tense surroundings that the characters find themselves in. Credit must go to Jonas Cuaron (and his dad) for enabling their richly-textured script to capture the personalities of the pair as their respective backgrounds are focused on intimately. There are no sub-plots or sexual tension between the characters. Just a desperate attempt to make the most of the oxygen they have left. While Kowalski is more laid-back and accepting about the spot of bother, his female colleague has already dealt with death back on Earth and is desperate to move on from that and survive even if it means having to put her rookie skills to good use later on. The script is further supported by Steven Price’s tender and well-executed score which is incorporated effectively and is at times touching to listen to. But throughout the 91 minute running time, we can’t help but feel in awe of the character’s beautiful surroundings and that is mostly down to Cuaron’s keen eye for utilising breathtaking computer-generated effects into his ‘visual playground’. Though many of us are still getting to grips with CGI-infested films, Gravity is one of the best examples of how to get it right especially when 3D technology comes into play. Whether it be the broken part of a ship or even a teardrop coming from Stone’s eye, you can’t help but feel immersed in what is going on. The Visual Effects Oscar must surely be guaranteed! Awards success could also land the way of leading lady Sandra Bullock as she gives perhaps her best performance as the nervous yet tortured Stone. At the age of 49, Bullock has produced the remarkable feat of becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and puts that to fantastic use here. Not only is she required to forge an emotional connection with her audiences (through a surprisingly tragic backstory) but to also show her physical-capabilities in a challenging role in which she dominates nearly every scene. In contrast, George Clooney ignites his usual wit and charm to lighten the film’s mood with his performance as Kowalsky. Whether it be laying out wise-cracking jokes or showing a caring side to his frantic colleague, Clooney is a perfect foil to his female co-star.

But despite its excellence, Gravity does falter at times with its slightly predictable narrative. Though Bullock excels with her performance, you can pretty much tell from a mile away that her personality will change as the film progresses as she goes from an insecure wreck at the beginning to a bad-ass heroine in the final quarter. The dialogue also has its flaws particularly when Kowalski uses cliched lines like “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” which takes away the original feel that this film is aiming for.

VERDICT: Houston, we DON’T have a problem! Intimate and jaw-droppingly brilliant (as well as featuring a mesmerising turn from Sandy Bullock), Gravity is truly worth the wait as Cuaron’s visual-effects laden masterpiece earns its rightful place as one of the all-time great sci-fi films.