Feature | Lights, Camera, Action! – Gravity

Gravity (UK Rating: 12A)

Gravity is the ultimate in industrial accidents, with Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) the only survivors of the barrage of surprisingly picturesque debris that has wrecked their shuttle during a routine mission. With Stone cast adrift in space, they face the seemingly hopeless challenge of staying alive in the most hostile of environments.

The two characters in Gravity are a complete contrast. Clooney plays a highly experienced astronaut on his last mission. Respected by his colleagues in space and on the ground (the voice of Houston is Ed Harris, no less), he's totally at home floating above the Earth and, even when it looks like all is lost for him, he can still find time to glowingly admire the beauty of what's around him. He's also the kind of guy anyone would want on their side in a crisis; practical, unflappable, reassuring and with a neat line in anecdotes.

Stone, on the other hand, is on her first mission and hates it. She's going through the motions but that goes for her generally, not just her life. Her deep unhappiness is down to the death of her four-year-old daughter, which has taken all the life out of her as well. As a result, after fighting the many obstacles in her way, Stone comes close to giving up entirely.

However, while the characters and storyline are interesting enough, Gravity is all about the visuals. It's a truly stunning and spectacular technical achievement, and there are many moments of sheer beauty.

Gravity is more than simply a film, Sci-Fi or otherwise; it is a truly cinematic experience. The number of movies that genuinely belong purely on the big screen can normally be counted on the fingers of one hand, but this is definitely one of them. There are even fewer that were made for 3D but, again, this is one of them. Here, the 3D isn't a bolt-on: it's an integral part of the movie and takes the visuals to another level. Gone is superfluous effect that looks like an old movie filmed on a stage with moving scenes in the background. This is how it should be done.

The film's trailer and clips concentrate on the scenes outside the space craft and they are a visual feast, mainly thanks to the beauty of the emptiness and the Earth below that Clooney's character loves so much. However, the interiors are equally impressive, with Bullock essentially swimming in zero gravity from one compartment to another. Best of all are the moments when the audience sees everything from her character's viewpoint - literally from her side of the visor, complete with the data that is always in front of her eyes. It is, without doubt, a bumpy and dramatic ride - in the best possible way. It's thrilling and the tension builds relentlessly, so much so that nail marks on the arms of seats in cinemas are nigh-on inevitable.

[score=9]Superlatives have been showered on Gravity to the extent that most reviewers are calling it the Film of the Year. It is certainly the most innovative and ground-breaking film this year. The best? That is another matter entirely. However, but it is a seriously good movie, and one that needs to be seen on the big screen, and in 3D to boot!