Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Gravity Movie Review


Why do we go to movie? To experience what we can't experience in real life. That's why we spent money to sit in a dark room with a loud noise while the teenager in the back making out with a suspicious moan that make you feel uncomfortable. Movie is a moving picture contained in a screen that tells us a story but some peoples with a bright mind had an idea to make it more than just an experience contained in a screen. Some people made a really emotionally touching experience that leaps out from the screen and goes right to the heart of the audiences while the other had another 'bright' idea like "Why should we make a great story that made the experience came out from the screen to the audiences hearts when we can actually make the image literally leap out from the screen right to the audience face?". I'm pretty sure that is how they invent 3D and that's why i don't actually like it but I'll gladly make and exception for Gravity because this is the first time that i regret not watching a movie in 3D.

There is actually quite a lot of positive buzz around this movie despite the fact that it premise is actually really-really boring when you put in papers. The movie is about about 2 astronaut in work who suddenly got trapped...IN SPACE, obviously, and now both of them have to find a way to get back to earth. The story is pretty much just that with no surprise to offer and its absolutely predictable. But If you expected it to be a characters or story driven kind of movie you will surely be disappointed. It is not because the acting or the characters is horrible its just that the dialogue isn't all that engaging and i find it a little bit too simple for its own good. I was hoping that is actually a lil bit more, well, dramatic, witty and emotional.

Luckily, It's a good thing that both Clooney and Bullocks managed to give an entertaining performance despite the lack of  intriguing dialogues. Bullocks plays as Dr. Ryan Stone, the newbie mechanical astronaut while Clooney plays as Mike Kowalski, a badass veteran astronaut who i'm pretty sure that Clooney just act as himself for that characters.

Anyone who survived and stay cool after Batman and Robin is a badass after all.

But the star of this movie isn't Clooney or Bullocks, it is the space itself. The movie opens with a text saying simple basic facts about space like there is no sounds, oxygen or gravity. Yeah, It's kinda obvious but it really set up our expectation about the movies and it tells how dangerous space is. After that you will be blown away with how amazing the movie looks on the screen, especially when you think that space is just a massive place of nothingness and yet they still managed to make it look amazing. I didn't watched it in IMAX or 3D but yet i'm still amazed by how gorgeous and believable the movies feels. There is quite a lot of POV shot ala First person shooter game which gives a good immersion factor for the audience and the action scene is absolutely well executed with excellent score and sound design that will leaves you breathless like you just sucked into space yourself.

I understand how you feel after watching this movie, space core
.
The movie isn't all about visuals though because there is some underlying themes that i found hidden inside. It's actually really hard to spot if you are just a casual audience who just wanna spent your time listening to the moan of teenagers making out behind you while maybe watch some parts of the movie. Most of it are hidden behind the image which they showed in a subliminal way and I think it is a kind of movie that is open to interpretation for the audiences because at the end i ended up wondering about what the hell is that movie about?

For conclusion, Gravity is a masterpiece when it comes to presentation and immersion but it kinda fell short when you want something that a lil bit more heavy in story or dialogue. It might also left you feel a little bit confused about the movie messages. Despite it flaws, i really understand why peoples are really excited and praise it as a great movie but since i'm the type who prefer story and dialogue over presentation its kinda fell short for me. But even with the flaws intact, this is still a great movie that you have to watch, in 3D or you'll regret it just like me.

Initial El Review Score

8.5

SPAAAAAACE