Recruited by NASA, this is Dr. Stone’s first space mission and she’s not particularly comfortable with the weightless environment, experiencing heavy nausea. Matt Kowalski is a veteran astronaut commanding his final mission. He’s cool and level-headed—not exactly a stretch for Clooney—and loves to listen to country music while in orbit. Kowalski is telling yet another story about his adventures, when the voice of Mission Control (Ed Harris) informs them that the Russians have blown up one of their communications satellites, but assures the crew its nothing to be concerned about. Yeah, right.
With little warning, debris from the Russian satellite suddenly enters range. The team hurries to avoid disaster, only to find themselves right in the middle of it all. Wreckage separates Stone from Kowalski, leaving the rookie tumbling into deep space. Calling on his years of his experience, Kowalski mounts a rescue mission, while also calming Stone’s nerves. After some tense moments, Kowalski is able to reconnect to Stone. From there, the two try to make their way to a pod at the International Space Station. During the trip, it becomes apparent that all communication with NASA has been lost. If Matt and/or Ryan are to survive they’ll have to rely on their own skill and desire.
A survival story, Gravity presents us with a woman who must confront her own will to live. Dr. Stone recently lost her daughter to a strange playground accident. Bullock is effective as a deeply depressed woman doing little more than going through the motions. Watching her emotional transformation in the midst of an almost unimaginable fight for survival is remarkable, and proves that her Best Actress Oscar win for The Blind Side was no fluke.
Director Alfonso Cuarón, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and visual effects supervisor Tim Webber choreographed some amazing tracking shots featuring Bullock, taking full advantage of zero-gravity and the endless atmosphere. And while I haven’t been a big fan of Hollywood’s current fascination with 3-D technology—with the exception of a handful of titles, it’s been used as little more than a gimmick—Cuarón used it to great effect here, creating a truly immersive experience. While there’s no denying that watching Gravity at home in the 2-D format takes a little something away from the overall viewing experience, Sandra Bullock’s affecting performance, and the stunning look of the film in either format, makes Gravity one of the best films of 2013.
Presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio, Gravity looks stunning on Blu-ray. The deep blacks of space are contrasted nicely with the white of the space suits, the yellowness of the sun, etc. Detail is absolutely stunning, offering a look at every worry wrinkle on Sandra Bullock’s face, various instrument panels, and even the nuts and bolts of the Hubble Telescope. Crushing, banding, and other digital anomalies are a no-show. Gravity is simply a visual treat.
Nominated for two Oscars for sound, Editing and Mixing, that excellence translates to the Blu-ray release. Warner’s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is incredibly effective. The tense silence of space is punctuated by the sounds of breathing, movement, and necessary tasks. We also here the static filled communications with NASA, and other ambient noises throughout. Everything sounds realistic—from low end rumbles to the fury of flying debris. LFE output is very strong, as are the rears, creating an enveloping soundfield. Dialogue, when available, is clean and clear.
English SDH, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles are included.
Gravity offers a fairly extensive slate of extras:
- Gravity: Mission Control (HD, 146:36) An extensive and revealing behind-the-scenes documentary that touches on every aspect of the production, from the original script to the various previsualization stages, the shoot itself, difficulties along the way, editing, performances and visual effects. The documentary can be played as one piece, or in these individual segments:
- It Began with a Story (16:21)
- Initial Challenges: Long Shots and Zero G (10:12)
- Previsualizing Gravity (11:38)
- The Hues of Space (10:41)
- Physical Weightlessness (7:48)
- Space Tech (13:02)
- Sandra and George: A Pair in Space (9:37)
- Final Animation (15:01)
- Complete Silence (12:13)
- Shot Breakdowns (HD, 36:48) A breakdown of key shots and there special effects. Again, these can be played all together or separately. Breakdowns include:
- Behind the Visor (6:50)
- Fire in the International Space Station (5:42)
- Dr. Stone’s Rebirth (7:54)
- The Sound of Action in Space (7:55)
- Splashdown (8:24)
- Aningaaq: A Short Film by Jonás Cuarón (HD, 10:11) Gravity co-writer Jonás Cuarón’s short film focuses on the Inuit fisherman Dr. Stone (Bullock) inadvertently contacts while aboard the Tiangong‘s escape capsule. The short also includes an optional introduction with the father and son filmmakers.
- Collision Point: The Race to Clean Up Space (HD, 22:28) Actor Ed Harris narrates this documentary about the real problem of man-made debris that orbits the earth.
- DVD Copy
- UV digital copy
- Digital Copy
