Ciaran Lee reviews Gravity
The recent phenomenon of 3D cinema that has transformed from theme park gimmick to mainstream box office gold mine has unsurprisingly produced a number of sensationalist action-thriller films. The occasional gem comes along that utilizes the three dimensional camerawork for genuine artistic purpose. Avatar stands out as the film that first showed how 3D could truly enhance storytelling and theme. The thought of a 3D film set in space immediately brings sensationalist action to mind. However, in “Gravity”, director Alfonso Cuarón and his cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki use the 3D effect simply to create an atmosphere without parallel in the history of cinema, albeit with the occasional loose screw flying toward the audience. The effect of the 3D is used to enhance the subtlety and space of the setting rather than to shock or thrill. This immense space is inhabited solely by actors George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Clooney is as charismatic and cool as ever even as rogue shrapnel flies to destroy the Hubble telescope to which they are attached. The level-headed Clooney provides an important foil to the neurotic and work-obsessed Bullock who, it is later revealed, is struggling with a traumatic past. It soon becomes clear that the setting is a metaphor for the emotional isolation she feels. As she makes her way towards earth she becomes more literally and figuratively grounded. What may seem like a special effect, space-based thrill ride is in actual fact an intimate portrait of a woman’s emotional vulnerability. Perhaps the most unique film of the year, Cuarón’s “Gravity” is certainly worth a watch.