Review: Gravity

[Note to reader: It is best to watch the film without knowing that much, if anything, about it. So, Avoid reading my review (or any other) before watching the film, even though there are no spoilers ahead...]


Going into a film with high expectations does not often end well. What you usually get is a feeling of being underwhelmed; one of underlying disappointment that it did not live up to the hype. I am glad to say that this is anything but the case when talking about Gravity - Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón's mesmerising space spectacle. It is breathtaking in every sense of the word.

The film opens with the caption "Life in space is impossible." Sure, there is no oxygen to breath, no water to drink; just the vast vacuum of space, filled with huge areas of nothingness that populate the vastness of the cosmos. This, ladies and gentlemen, is our setting and for the next 90 minutes we are treated to the realities of what makes residing 375 miles above Earth so unforgiving.

Gravity is centred around two astronauts. The first is the 'bus driver' (or Captain of the space shuttle to you and me) Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), a veteran astronaut on his final mission who is enjoying his last experience out in the void and hoping that he breaks the record for the longest space walk while out there. Alongside him is Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), a medical engineer who is feeling tense and a bit queasy at being out on her first NASA journey (and space walk), and who has just completed six months worth of specialist NASA training to attach a new high-tech scanning device to the Hubble Telescope.

Whilst working on the Hubble Telescope, they and their space shuttle are hit by shrapnel like debris from a accident that occurred at a Russian satellite. Thus ensues the crux of the film: the race for survival of two astronauts when disaster occurs in the most inhospitable of places. From this and other major setbacks, they must try to find a way to safety - to survive. In reality, though, this is a film which has more to do with choosing to live instead of just trying to survive; and whether we have the fortitude to want to live, or not.




Unlike that of rookie astronaut Stone, flustered and in a state of panic when she is faced with the possibility of being lost adrift in space, Cuarón handles the entire film with poise and confidence - illustrated immediately with the opening shot of the film. This prologue, which is an unbroken 13 minute sequence before the first cut is made to another camera, sets up the film and throws us into the astronauts' shoes; leaving us little time to gasp for air in what is a thrilling start, which hardly ever lets up thereafter.

There is no doubt that the 7 years it has taken the director to make Gravity have been spent figuring out ways to make the film as real as possible and finding out ways to put the audience right into the action (which includes some awe inducing point of view shots and sequences that make you feel like you are an astronaut). We are given incredible vantages of the action, and with (actual) gravity not playing a part in space, it has allowed Cuarón and his long-time collaborator and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki no restrictions in the free flowing movement of the camera and the orchestration of the entire film. In essence, this gives the feeling that we are out with Stone and Kowalsky in zero gravity. Much like what Scorsese did in Raging Bull in the fight scenes with De Niro, where the camera weaved in and out to mimic the movements that boxers make, Cuarón allows the camera to move everywhere and anywhere to thrust the audience into space. And the imagination needed to map out such long sequences is astonishing to say the least.

As there is no sound in space, Steven Price's score takes on an important role in the tone of the film: to build tension and to double as sound FX (of a sort). Building on the themes of the film, such as confusion, fear, isolation and hope, Price incorporates ethereal sounds and rousing choruses in accordance. It is for all intensive purposes a rounding success. In moments when something bad is happening, to a monologue where the astronauts talk "in the blind" - just incase anyone from Houston is listening when radio transmission from Earth is lost - the score reflects the action on the screen and Cuarón's vision, without overbearing the film.

And what of a film that so far has only been spoken about for its technical achievements and visual majesty? Well, the story does more than enough to emotionally invest you into caring for Stone. Her outlook on life is particularly revealing in one exchange, which goes on to illustrate her withdrawn personality: she will miss the quietness of space once they return to Earth, while Kowalski will miss the view of the sun rising. It is telling that there are unresolved feelings from the past that have been bottled up for too long, which could easily spill out if something 'major' were to happen. Her back story is one that helps explain her disposition to being the nervous, lonely and somewhat introverted character that is hinted at at the beginning; it is in stark contrast to Kowalsky.

For a film that always has the tension running high, as it is a story where the protagonists are on a race against time to survive (oxygen is not infinite in space, folks), it still allows time for quieter, more subtler and emotional moments. In one moment in particular, Clooney, playing Kowalsky as we picture what Clooney must be like in real life - cocksure, charming, with an abundance of charisma -  really does knock a scene out of the park with a warm touch of advice to a troubled Stone.

However, this film is Sandra Bullock's, putting in what must be a career best performance. She gives us everything: physicality, emotional vulnerability, mental fortitude and growth. But, I think it is because she plays someone that we can all empathise and familiarise with that comes across and strikes a chord with us. She is an ordinary person that has been put into an extraordinary situation.

Sandra Bullock's Dr. Ryan Stone

Gravity is an emotional ride. Not in a long time have I watched a film that gave me a lump in the throat on multiple occasions throughout; that welled up a tear in my eye because of its beauty; or something that made me gasp in awe at the spectacle. It is a film that finds time for these moments. It is a character piece set in a place where humans are out of place.

At the beginning of this review, I quoted Alfonso Cuarón's line that "Life in space is impossible." After seeing Gravity, it has been made abundantly clear to me that life in space is possible; with will, determination to survive and a bit of vodka.

Breathless? I sure am.

THE VERDICT

Gravity should be seen on the biggest screen possible and, for once, the 3D is worth it. It is probably the best use of the medium on film to date (along with Avatar) and doesn't reduce the brightness of the picture (which is usually the case). The 3D works perfectly with where the film is set and how the camera moves. You'll have seen nothing like this, so if you can, watch it in IMAX 3D.

It is a visually stunning and unforgettable experience, from a master craftsman who seems to be at ease with the tools at his disposal. Alfonso Cuarón has pushed the envelope for what is possible in film and it should not be missed. Go and watch it, and take as many people as you can along with you. James Cameron sums it up well: "Gravity is the best space film ever made".

RATING  *****  Masterpiece

Look back at The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

I'm approaching an island that I can see in the horizon; only a mere silhouette at the moment. As I gradually get closer I notice that there is something wrong. The island starts to come into focus. The weather, as I edge closer to the island, changes and it seems that a storm is brewing. The King of Red Lions tells me to approach with caution; there seems to be a darkness which is spreading around this world.

I was fourteen years old in 2003 when The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was released. I remember from the first moment I saw the trailer to the game, over a year before its release, that I wanted it. Up until that point, I had never played a 3D Zelda game before, so I had no previous experiences to compare it with. As I had never owned a Nintendo console, I had missed Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask and only had a hazy memory of the former from a time when I was at my friend's house and we were hunched around a small, boxed television, watching his older cousin running across a green field, fighting zombies and throwing chickens in a pen. Suffice to say that my brief encounter with Ocarina of Time had left a lasting impression on me; one of: "wow, I've never seen a game as good looking as that ever" followed shortly after by "damn, why did my dad get me a PlayStation instead of a Nintendo 64!"

As that console generation passed, I was more than content with my PlayStation and shortly after, the PS2. In particular, I was obsessed with the revolutionary open world of Grand Theft Auto 3. Despite being way under age to be allowed to play it, I nevertheless did and, for me, it took what games were capable of to a whole new dimension - in terms of scope and freedom. However, from time to time, I would still think back to Ocarina and how I felt there was something I was missing out on.

Now, back to the unveiling of Wind Waker... When the first tidbits of news about the game were released, I was hooked. The trailer showed off the new cell-shaded graphical style and it was incredible. It was a living and breathing cartoon - if you will - that would not look out of place on Cartoon Network. And the best bit? I would seamlessly be controlling it all in this gorgeous, charming and large open world - called the Great Sea. It was Nintendo's answer towards Sony exclusives, such as Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, the GTA series and Kingdom Hearts, as well as Microsoft's behemoth console seller Halo.

A limited edition console bundle, which would include Ocarina of Time and - the never before released outside of Japan - Master Quest was announced and I immediately pre-ordered it from my local GAME store. (Those were the days before ordering off the internet became the norm!) My level of excitement was palpable.

When release date came by, I did something that, now, I would never do. Initially, I opened my new silver Gamecube, set it up and put in the Wind Waker. Sure, on the surface this is what every teenage boy would do. The difference was that I only did this to make sure everything was working so that when I did play it a couple of months down the line - once my school exams were over - I would not be left with a faulty console (just in case I was one of the unfortunate few people to receive a console with a problem with it). Well, as it turns out, everything worked perfectly, and after 'testing' out the console and the game for an hour or so, I packed it up again and left it sat underneath my desk table in my room. Yes, it was and is an unheard of thing for a 14 year old boy to do; especially so for someone who was looking forward to it as much as I was (as I knew many people who weren't at all). This was the deal that I had struck to buy the Gamecube bundle: I would be allowed to buy it if I did not play it until after my exams were over. Suffice to say that it took every ounce of self-restraint to do so, but it was the only way to get my hands on it. Quite simply, if I didn't do what I promised at the time then I would not be writing this post about this pivotal gaming experience in my life - and that would have been a travesty to not have experienced this game. The Zelda series has since introduced me to many other games that I may never have tried as a result; games that are also full of action and adventure, art and innovation (hello Shadow of the Colossus and Okami, to name two). Otherwise, it is possible to assume I would have continued to be a sports nut (no offence to those FIFA and Madden enthusiasts out there)!


The months passed, I sat my final exam with confidence and as soon as it was over I rushed home to (again) open and play Wind Waker. Now I could take it all in, knowing no one would be able to stop me and I had nothing to worry about. From the prologue, to that first stroll through Outlook Island, to sneaking past Moblins in Ganondorf's fortress, to sailing the high seas with The King of Red Dragons, it was and still is one of the most memorable experiences I've ever had in my eighteen years of gaming.

The Forsaken Fortress - no try braking into this place and evading enemy sight!

It is difficult to talk about just one 'thing' which makes Wind Waker so good, even to this day. I've already noted the cell-shaded graphics - which at the time was very divisive. But what I should add to this are the little things that were done with the graphics; for example, if you were stuck with a puzzle and did not know where to go or what to do, then you could turn the camera and observe Link's eyes which would show him looking at something of interest for the player to consider. This would act as a subtle hint to the player and you'd soon be on your way to the next challenge. Little things like this were spread throughout the game and were well ahead of its time.

The combat is still the most fun, intuitive and rewarding aspect of the series; especially when confronted with the more difficult enemies (and I've taken into account Skyward Sword's motion plus sword wielding controls on the Wii before anyone argues). And because of the more seamless and open world of Wind Waker, compared to Twilight Princess in particular, there are many more places (in the shape of islands) to explore, which results in their being an infinite amount more side-quests to distract you from the main stories quest.

In reality, there are too many moments and aspects of Wind Waker to mention here that make the game still endear today. All I know is that, in 2013, I can still hook up my Gamecube and start playing the game and it would not have aged at all. Sometimes, when you go back to classics they leave you with a bad taste in the mouth, not because they are all of a sudden a bad game, but because they have aged badly; the graphics and gameplay have since been bettered and the game that you once remembered loving has now dated. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is one of those, amongst others. Sure, it is still a very good game, however there is an adjustment period needed now to play it on the PS2. Not Wind Waker, though.

Very few games age well, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is one of them. I would do a fine wine analogy, but I can't taste the difference between an old fine wine and a new one so I will use this instead: The Wind Waker is like Casablance; it is still as amazing as when it originally came out and as good as you remember from your first viewing. It is a masterpiece and you will find it hard to better. It is still my favourite Zelda game in the series and that is high praise when you see the company that it is amongst.

The Tower of Gods finally allows me to enter. I do not know what I will find inside it, but maybe I will discover the answers to the mysteries that preceded. Now that I have entered, everything is frozen in time - unchanged from a lifetime ago. So too is the Hero of Winds; its experience undimmed and enduring, as if time had stilted...