Space fantasy comes to life in Gravity

Every now and then we need a little escape from our own realities. While I have never harboured a passion to be an astronaut, I was curious about the recent space thriller, which brings science fiction into reality, almost... So I convinced my movie buddy to visit one of those expensive automated theatres without volume control, too many slick adverts and trailers of films I would never pay to see. Eventually we donned our 3D glasses for our very own trip out there. Interesting to note that the concept described by the title Gravity, is almost entirely absent. However the visuals of earth in shimmering blue contrast to the bulky astronaut suits and floating leggo space stations are impressive. Movement and speed are severely distorted as Sandra Bullock and George Cooney go weightless, swooping in slow motion while tethered together. Then it all goes so terribly wrong; falling and twisting sequences are sped up to reflect the seriousness of the situation and the real threat of flying debris. Time slows down again when she makes it back into the space station and we enjoy seeing and almost feeling the range of floating objects amidst the high tech screens and controls everywhere. The technical skills and wizardry almost take you there, as at times I felt my muscles tensing to reorient myself to the moving upright position! So I guess it is inevitable that the technical prowess has won over the script, which is pretty thin; a disillusioned Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra) needs to escape her earth life after her daughter's death and is tentatively saved by the congenial space veteran Matt Kowalski(George). Throughout, we are wondering whether she will and can choose to save her life and return to earth! Allusions of this film as a religious parable, an ecological script or a feminist triumph are a bit too out there. But it was a seriously engaging and entertaining visit to a world away from mine - that left me happy to return!