Gravity (2013)
One of the defining changes in the cinematic landscape of the 2010s was the breakthroughs in CGI which allowed filmmakers to create entire worlds previously impossible with the limited range of special effects. One of the first films to fully embrace this idea was Alfonso Cuarón's 2013 film Gravity which initially captivated audiences with nearly the entire film being done in visual effects. Following astronauts Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) as their trip to space turns into a fight for survival after their ship is destroyed by a huge cluster of metal leaving them to scramble in order to find a way home with their oxygen and means of momentum running short, the film easily captivated audiences as is often the case when there is a large breakthrough in the cinematic landscape leading to a brand new theatrical experience. Everyone needed to see just how the film pulled off its visuals and the film quickly became both a critical and box office success. Returning to the film far from 2013 where large CGI filled worlds are the new norm for sci-fi films, it becomes apparent that Gravity will go down more as an important relic of its time rather than a classic which still holds up with a ton of strength.
Easily the most impressive aspect of the film is the technical feats it pulls off. Not only is the CGI impressive creating a world easy to become engaged with and which actually does achieve the feeling of being both beautiful and haunting. In this race for survival, the film is able to take small breaths to show the beauty of space like seeing the sunrise over the earth which are sequences that easily could have flopped if the CGI wasn't up to par. Where the CGI is solid and gets most of the attention, it also is important to recognize the actual camerawork within the film. Not just is the shot composition and actually cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki solid but the actual logistics of it is damn impressive. With nearly nothing to play off of, the film had to know just how they were going to shoot every scene to correctly film the actor's faces which is a logistical nightmare. As with many of his films, Alfonso Cuarón clearly brought a clear direction and focus to the making of the film allowing the end result to feel as smooth as it does.
Where these technical elements are enough for the film to generally work with its tension and overall world, it is in the screenplay specifically with the characters where the film starts to struggle. With so much focus given building the world and showcasing the technical achievements of the film the character development and emotional depth of the film often gets thrown to the side. The deepest the film reaches when it comes to giving the characters depth is simply saying that Dr. Ryan Stone has a child. At no point does the film actually feel like it lets the audience get to know the characters or create memorable personalities for them. Where George Clooney at least is able to give tons of charisma in his performance making his character at least likable, Sandra Bullock is the one who suffers from this. It isn't that Bullock even gives a bad performance, but rather at no point does she get something to chew on to become memorable in really any way. Because of this it is easy to lack an investment in the film and her journey beyond a very basic sense.
Gravity might still stand out as a technical achievement, but viewing the film after the release of films like Interstellar and The Martian fails to stand out as super impressive or engaging overall. Without real characters with depths or personalities, the film never goes beyond being a thrilling fight for survival; which despite being effective, still feels like it is missing something. Gravity laid the framework for later films which would be able not just to create the visual experience of the film but also have engaging characters and stories within it. Still, it is possible to not only respect the film for what it meant to cinema at the time but also appreciate the grounded and brutal fight for survival within the film even if it clearly is missing the last piece of the puzzle needed to be a true masterpiece or one of the best of the decade.
Gravity might still stand out as a technical achievement, but viewing the film after the release of films like Interstellar and The Martian fails to stand out as super impressive or engaging overall. Without real characters with depths or personalities, the film never goes beyond being a thrilling fight for survival; which despite being effective, still feels like it is missing something. Gravity laid the framework for later films which would be able not just to create the visual experience of the film but also have engaging characters and stories within it. Still, it is possible to not only respect the film for what it meant to cinema at the time but also appreciate the grounded and brutal fight for survival within the film even if it clearly is missing the last piece of the puzzle needed to be a true masterpiece or one of the best of the decade.