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davidahallnum5
Dec 1, 202313 min read

Gravity 3D Blu-ray Review

MOVIE REVIEW

Gravity is a 2013 film about a woman named Ryan Stone, a medical doctor who had been recruited onto a team to do a routine repair of the Hubble. She's accompanied by several individuals, including a highly talkative guy named Matt Kowalski. However, just when things begin to be going smoothly, a freak accident occurs that sends debris in the Hubble's path, destroying it, the space shuttle, and the crew on board. This leaves Dr. Ryan Stone and Dr. Matt Kowalski as the sole survivors of the shuttle crew. And the rest of the movie follows both of them as they try to get back home any way they can.

On this recent revisit of Gravity, I was able to rediscover several things about it that made it an absolute masterclass of cinema, and helped cement it as one of my personal favorite movies. But one of the main things that struck me the most about how unique the movie is was the remarkable simplicity of its plot. I don't really know why that is, but maybe after seeing so many films as of late with layered stories and world-building, and complex characters, I guess I've come to forget that sometimes a straightforward story can work just fine. In Gravity, there are no brilliant creative twists on something we already know of like with Pixar movies, nor villains with motivations that will get revealed to us over the course of the story. Instead, it's simply about a woman caught up in a terrible situation in the middle of space who's just trying to get back home. And quite frankly, sometimes one clever idea like that is all you need to create an engaging experience. And with the right nourishment and direction, it can even elevate into something more.

There's no beating around the bush with this one, Gravity is a non-stop edge-of-your-seat thrill ride from beginning to end. The very first shot of the film, which lasts about 12 minutes by the way, is all it needs to establish the characters, the atmosphere, the story set-up, and the visual beauty Gravity has to offer. A lot like 1917, the prolonged unbroken-shot technique pulls you into the wondrous yet highly dangerous world of outer space, right before putting the characters in an endless cycle of intense peril for the remainder of the movie's runtime. Throughout the film, you find yourself gripping your armrests terrified for Dr. Ryan Stone and Dr. Matt Kowalski as they try to navigate the cold, gravity-less, oxygen-less, and quite often unforgiving environment that is outer space. Gravity pulls no punches in showing just how quickly everything can go wrong 600KM above the Earth's surface. True, it does have to take a couple of silly liberties in order to do so, but that doesn't make us any less invested in or captivated with the story, especially when viewed on the big screen and in 3D. The fact that this film can engage you as much as it does with just a man and woman trying to get back home without having to complicate anything is a true cinematic feat that simply must be appreciated.

But it's not just the action sequences that keep you hooked. The in-between moments are also just as engrossing. Funny enough, for as short as the movie's runtime is, at an hour and a half, it's actually pretty slow-paced a good chunk of the time. But like with any great film with an excellent vision behind it, this one credit to director Alfonso Cuarón, "slow-paced" isn't code for "boring." When the film holds up on showing the dangers of space, the visuals on display of outer space are absolutely mesmerizing. The filmmakers spent about four years trying to get them right, and it shows. The soundtrack by Steven Price is also a real knockout, which ranges from nail-biting intense to refreshingly calming. And while only the beginning shot lasts 12 minutes, they still use particular long shots throughout the film, keeping you feeling like you're right alongside our two protagonists for the film's length. The end result is almost a cinematic poem of outer space that truly captures its gorgeousness and its intense perils.

As for the story, there is actually a bit more to it than just a survival tale. Gravity uses the incredible challenges Dr. Ryan Stone faces to reveal significant changes in her character that occur throughout the course of the movie. When we first start off, she's mainly just a person just going through the motions of life, doing things the ways she expects them too. But when tragedy strikes, she becomes a roller coaster of a character. The casting is superb with actress Sandra Bullock capturing the many aspects of Ryan's character impeccably. Ryan is a woman who has certainly been through rough events before. And as she goes through her journey in space, she begins to ask herself what it all means, everything from tragedy to fate to even the point of her own life. Regardless of where you come from, where you were raised, what faith you hold, or where you are in life, these are all things that we at some point all ask ourselves as humans. And in the face of almost imminent death, Gravity brings up these questions in a way that's practically effortless and yet still very profound. I won't spoil Ryan's entire character arc. But I will say this: by the time we reach the end of the film, we're not just released from the harsh strongholds of space, we're also given a sense of inspiration and realization that life, for all its worries and tragedies, still needs to be lived and is actually more than worth fighting for.

It's been about four years now since I saw Gravity for the first time and I'm still amazed by not just how well it works as an visual experience, but how incredibly it works as a film overall. This movie doesn't seek to give you a cheap thrill ride, but to take you through the coldest regions of outer space with a character that I'm sure at some point, we've all been able to relate to. And through Dr. Ryan Stone, Gravity allows us to take an examination of our own lives, show us how just brutal it can be, but also how things can get better if we just decide to hang on long enough. It's all very thought-provoking and inspiring stuff. And as a person of Christian faith, I especially find the message to be very relevant. The Bible has plenty of verses that seek to encourage readers to persevere in spite of overwhelming circumstances because in the end, God holds everything in his hands and is working everything out for our good. Just look to 2 Corinthians 4:16 or Roman 8:28. I know it seems a little strange to be pulling Christian themes out of a secular movie, but Gravity does drop little hints here and there that Ryan, in her desperate situation, is trying to pull onto something bigger than herself. And I think throughout all of our lives, there comes to be a point when we tend to do the same thing. In an age where most cinematic thrill rides offer little else besides plenty of intense action for us to enjoy, the thematic places Gravity travels to really make it stand out and help it to stick with you long after you see it. That alone, is well-worth praising. And everything else is expertly accomplished too. The visuals are stylized and stunning, the action is edge-of-your-seat intense, the score is a banger, and the performances are top-notch. This is a lot like Titanic where the few, but notable nitpicks you can have regarding the plot or characters are easily outweighed by the memorable experience this movie delivers. The result is a truly remarkable piece of filmmaking that sets out and does exactly what it intends to do, and does so even better than you expect.


OVERALL FILM RATING: 5/5


3D REVIEW

Here at The 3D Dinosaur, I've covered many-a 3D movies. But in the case of around, say, 80% of them in the vein of "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," while the 3D itself may be good, it's never quite huge in the public interest. Surprisingly though, Gravity is one of those rare 3D films up there with the likes of Avatar, Hugo, and Life of Pi where the movie's 3D gets talked about almost as much as the movie itself. And watching the film in 3D for yourself, it's not hard to see why. This is a movie made with a keen eye for 3D that utilizes the technology not just to enhance the experience, but to ultimately complete it. If this movie is one big puzzle, 3D is the final piece to seeing it all in its intended glory.

I could start off describing all the visual eye-candy Gravity offers in 3D. But the main reason the third dimension adds so much to the film is because it actively does something that few 3D movies even try: it places you right beside the characters in middle of outer space. I've actually already described some of the main ways it does this in my review of the movie itself, such as the longer, lingering tracking shots camera shots that allow you to take in film's environment and the chaotic action that it thrusts you into. It seems a bit redundant to go over them again, but they openly invite you into the world of Gravity so that the 3D can come and open the door to it for your eyes to wander through. The film's openness to the world it inhabits is the 3D's greatest strength. There's quite clearly a difference between watching what's happening and actually feeling like it's happening right in front of you. This is one of the biggest reasons I vouch for a 3D conversion of 1917 as it's a film that already uses long tracking shots to arrest your eyes in the ruined battleground of WWI. Add 3D onto that, though, and you'd actually be there.

Now, on the 3D Blu-ray in particular, one of the biggest complaints I hear quite often is that the depth is pretty minimal, aka the parallax is relatively mild throughout. Having watched the 3D Blu-ray several times in the past few years, I can see where those complaints come from. In fact, there are a couple brief moments where the scene almost goes entirely flat. That being said, I think it still contains enough depth it needs to get the job done. And when the job does get done, it's a mesmerizing thing to see. One of the biggest things the 3D adds to the movie is the enormity of space. You can see how far away characters, space stations, and pieces of debris are from planet earth. The first 12 minutes of the movie establishes this effective use of 3D early on as we start off with the camera pointed towards Earth as the space shuttle comes into view as it emerges from the right. Stars, debris, various objects, and characters go off into the distance. In fact, there's one incredibly executed story moment that uses one of the latter examples in a very poignant manner. The actual shapes of the space related structures such as the shuttle, the escape pods, some robotic arms, parachutes and parachute ropes, tethers, and even the astronaut suits give off great 3D composition in fashions I've seen similar to that of IMAX: Hubble or IMAX: Space Station. This is especially true inside the actual space stations and escape pods, with views involving long corridors and floating objects inside, claustrophobic capsules also with floating objects inside, or windows that let you look out into the deep void of space.

To describe all the ways Gravity uses great composition of the objects in its environment to provide 3D-ready views would be too many to describe and are quite frankly, beyond what words can tell you. A lot like Avatar, it's best if you watch the movie for yourself. However, there are some noteworthy moments where the 3D is used in some really unique ways that I feel I should mention. Some of the ones I can think of off the top of my head are the debris sequences, with various objects traveling at unspoken speeds destroying everything in their path. The first one early on sends the space shuttle spinning in a circle, which causes the robotic arm Dr. Ryan Stone to swing out into audience several times (I'll get to the pop outs more in a minute). Other interesting 3D moments involve astronaut helmets that not only let you see into person's suit, but also reflect light across the surface of the clear visor solidifying its 3D shape. Going back to that first debris sequences, after Ryan frees herself from the arm and is stuck spinning uncontrollably while floating off into space, the camera does a close up shot of Ryan's face where it continually zooms in on her helmet until the camera is eventually inside of it. Then, the camera assumes Ryan's POV and we see the earth and stars continually spinning from her perspective. It's a slightly nauseating shot, but it demonstrates the film's effectiveness in the 3D department of literally putting you in Ryan's shoes (or in this case, her suit). The camera also goes into Ryan's POV a couple of other times, allowing you to see out of her helmet, almost in a window-like shot.

Speaking of windows, there's one scene in particular where Ryan is in the ISS looking out of a window onto the earth below. Not only is the distance between the ISS and earth all the more apparent, but there's also a reflection of Ryan's face in sorrow. This is an excellent use of 3D from a story-standpoint. And there are a few more shots that follow suit like this. At one point, when Ryan is telling the story about her daughter, Matt pulls up a mirror on his arm so he can see her behind him. In one very crucial story moment, Ryan is trapped alone in the Soyuz contemplating her life and trying to accept her death when she cries tears that float out into the room. And when one of the tears gets close enough to the audience, Ryan goes out of focus so we're looking at her tear. On paper, this seems like a gimmicky idea. And in 2D, it does look a little off. But this is a 3D movie. And when viewed that way, it actually makes the emotional scene all the more effective.

As for pop outs, you get a pretty surprising amount of stuff either floating in front of you or coming out at you. And what makes these pop outs quite notable is how for as in-your-face as they seem on paper, they actually come off as a lot more natural than gimmicky. The tear drop is an example of the 3D being used to the tell the story in a serious manner. But the film does have some fun moments that utilize pop outs well. The aforementioned debris sequences, for example, are two of the strongest examples of this in the movie. While the first one had Ryan Stone flying out at you on a robotic arm, the second one amps everything up by flinging debris at you at record speeds. If you feel the urge to duck, I wouldn't blame you. Elsewhere, though, there's also plenty of random floating objects such as fire, fire extinguisher fluid, a Marvin the Martian figurine, a couple of dead bodies, a wrench, a couple of screws, a tether, ropes, Ryan Stone, astronaut's feet, and various structures or devices that just so happen to protrude the screen.

To this day, Gravity is often regarded one of the greatest 3D films ever made. It's premise presents a lot of potential and Alfonso Cuarón's meticulous vision and stylized visuals definitely takes advantage of it. Space movies are pretty much always good bait for a 3D presentation, with the intriguing man-made structures, views that give you true scope of the earth, and the almost limitless environment that is outer space. And Gravity certainly serves as another example of that. But on top of just providing some of the most beautiful 3D imagery to come from Hollywood as of late, it doesn't just use 3D to delight you, but to also engage you. It seeks to put you in the same story as Ryan Stone as she struggles to navigate the perils of space, find a way back home, and come to grips with whether or not her own life is really worth living. That is one of the purest uses of 3D a 3D enthusiast or common moviegoer could wish for, to be taken inside of a story worth being taken into. James Cameron used it with Avatar, Martin Scorsese used it with Hugo. And Alfonso Cuarón has also followed suit and used it with Gravity. Now is the deepest presentation you can find? No. But when all things are considered, this film isn't just all the better if you see it in 3D, it demands to be seen in 3D. If you haven't watched the film yet, purchase it in 3D and put it on the biggest screen you can. Even if you have watched the film before but only in 2D, my point still stands. Gravity currently stands as one of the benchmarks for excellent 3D and for very good reason.


3D RATING: EXCELLENT


OTHER SOURCES THAT REVIEW THIS MOVIE'S 3D:




3D Blu-ray Bunker's Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02ckhZVrDZU




FINAL THOUGHTS


Gravity is a film that succeeds on many different levels: a captivating thrill ride, a character study, a look into the beauty and trauma of space, a look into the beauty and trauma of human life, and a film that runs no longer than 91 minutes. All of those things never really seem like they'd go together. But the right story, the right director, the right eye for visuals, and the right casting, it all comes off in an experience that runs swimmingly, executing all of its goals in a way that seems practically effortless. It holds onto you throughout its runtime. And even though the peril is over by the time the movie ends, it still sticks with you, but in a great way. It leaves you with a newfound appreciation for life and a drive to keep moving forward no matter what comes your way. And even more important, it'll also teach young children to think twice before becoming astronauts. What more can I say? It's the truly ultimate marriage of big-screen spectacle and thoughtful cinema that everyone in their life should eventually get a chance to see. And if possible, do watch it in 3D. This is the kind of film that was envisioned with 3D in mind and to watch it any other way would not only be undermining the effort put into creating the 3D version, but also the film itself. The 3D takes the extra step to put you in these characters' shoes and the intense situation they've found themselves in. Is the best 3D presentation ever? That depends on what you deem as great 3D. If consistent and ample depth is your cup of tea, then maybe you'll find a bit of trouble with Gravity's occasional flat moments and the fact that it's generally not as deep as it could've been. But if the 3D you're looking for is the kind that is strategically utilized as a means of making you part of the experience in a way you won't get in 2D, than Gravity will for sure be the 3D film you're looking for. No matter what side of the spectrum you fall on, though, this film is undeniably a prime example of how to properly integrate 3D and storytelling together in a way that'll stand the test of time as more than a cheap gimmick. I personally wish I could've seen this in IMAX 3D when it first came out. Not only would the large screen been more immersive and the sound system mind-blowing, but the mid-to-low level parallax that some people complain about would've certainly gone a lot longer of a way. Still, at home on the projector in 3D was still satisfying enough. And if you also have 3D capabilities at your home too, waste no more time and pick this one up. This is an experience you won't soon forget.


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