Written by Anthony Watkins
Mexican-born director Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity is a Science-Fiction thriller that, upon its release on October 4, 2013, generated worldwide critical acclaim. Nominated for 10 Oscars, the film took home 7 at the 86th Academy Awards. The awards mainly came in technical achievements—from the breathtaking visual effects and cinematography to Steven Price’s sweeping score. One of the grandest awards, however, was Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron, who became the first Latin American director to take home an Oscar. In this article, we will explore how Cuaron was able to effectively communicate the vacuum of space as vast and beautiful, yet isolating and terrifying. We will also look at some of the themes he communicated in the film.
Perhaps the most effective way Cuaron was able to communicate the large environment of space was through the use of long shots, or long takes. The opening shot of the film lasts for about 13 minutes—an astonishing long shot that is virtually unheard of in action films today. In total, Gravity contains only 156 shots, with an average shot length of approximately 45 seconds. By implementing these long shots, Cuaron is able to draw the audience into this extreme space environment, not letting them blink, and forcing them to relate to and to experience the film as if they themselves were stranded with the astronauts. The long shots also communicate anti-gravity, as the camera itself seems to be floating along with the astronauts, instead of cutting here and there to stay with them. Finally, by using this floating method, the camera conveys the lack of a standard up and down that is present in space. There are no boundaries or dimensions like on Earth.
Perhaps the most effective way Cuaron was able to communicate the large environment of space was through the use of long shots, or long takes. The opening shot of the film lasts for about 13 minutes—an astonishing long shot that is virtually unheard of in action films today. In total, Gravity contains only 156 shots, with an average shot length of approximately 45 seconds. By implementing these long shots, Cuaron is able to draw the audience into this extreme space environment, not letting them blink, and forcing them to relate to and to experience the film as if they themselves were stranded with the astronauts. The long shots also communicate anti-gravity, as the camera itself seems to be floating along with the astronauts, instead of cutting here and there to stay with them. Finally, by using this floating method, the camera conveys the lack of a standard up and down that is present in space. There are no boundaries or dimensions like on Earth.
(Above) This poster shows the opening shot of Gravity. The camera seems to float in space as the shuttle moves closer and closer. (Below) The 13 minute shot culminates in Stone being separated from the destroyed Shuttle and floating in the vastness and emptiness of space.
While providing these long shots throughout the film, Cuaron also implements POV (Point-of-View) shots to further force the audience to relate to the astronauts’ perilous experience. Cuaron goes as far as placing the camera inside Dr. Ryan Stone’s (Sandra Bullock) space helmet. Inside the helmet, we hear her suit alarms beeping and her heavy breathing. You really can’t get more subjective than this. Cuaron allows us as the audience to see and to feel Stone’s world and take the journey with her.
A stylistically and visually resplendent shot appears about halfway through the film. Stone eventually makes it into the International Space Station (ISS). Once she closes the hatch, she takes a breather for herself, as this is the first time she's been able to relax since the debris destroyed the Explorer and she became stranded. She curls up in the fetal position, and her figure against the hatch window, combined with some strategically placed wires, allows the shot to visually represent the womb. This of course foreshadows the rebirth that will take place in her character at the end of the film. The shot is also useful in that, by symbolizing birth, it contrasts the amount of death and destruction she has seen firsthand with the other astronauts and shuttle.
A stylistically and visually resplendent shot appears about halfway through the film. Stone eventually makes it into the International Space Station (ISS). Once she closes the hatch, she takes a breather for herself, as this is the first time she's been able to relax since the debris destroyed the Explorer and she became stranded. She curls up in the fetal position, and her figure against the hatch window, combined with some strategically placed wires, allows the shot to visually represent the womb. This of course foreshadows the rebirth that will take place in her character at the end of the film. The shot is also useful in that, by symbolizing birth, it contrasts the amount of death and destruction she has seen firsthand with the other astronauts and shuttle.
A beautiful shot that symbolizes Dr. Ryan Stone's (Sandra Bullock) internal rebirth that will occur throughout her perilous experience in space.
Besides rebirth, Gravity also communicates several other themes and allegories. The most obvious theme is humanity’s will to survive, even in the toughest of situations that arise. This is something that comes naturally to us—we are born and given one chance at life. As a result, we usually feel the need to be our own determiner of death—we don’t give up or sit back unless there is really no other option. In the film, Stone is given that option, and she ultimately chooses to pursue life. This theme has been explored through many films over the years, notably in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day (1994) and Michael Bay’s Armageddon (1998).
Gravity also displays a religious theme. Perhaps the most touching scene in the film is when Stone is in the Soyuz, out of fuel. At a rock-bottom emotional level, Stone manages to contact a foreign-speaking fisherman on Earth. She asks him to pray for her, explaining she would pray herself but has never said a prayer in her life and doesn't know how. This moment reveals Stone's acknowledgement of a higher power or being that has control over the situation and our place in the universe. Cuaron strategically places other religious material throughout the film, as the pictures below illustrate.
Gravity also displays a religious theme. Perhaps the most touching scene in the film is when Stone is in the Soyuz, out of fuel. At a rock-bottom emotional level, Stone manages to contact a foreign-speaking fisherman on Earth. She asks him to pray for her, explaining she would pray herself but has never said a prayer in her life and doesn't know how. This moment reveals Stone's acknowledgement of a higher power or being that has control over the situation and our place in the universe. Cuaron strategically places other religious material throughout the film, as the pictures below illustrate.
The two pictures above illustrate Cuaron's placement of religious material in the film. The top picture is from Saint Christopher, (a Christian martyr in the 3rd century) and the bottom picture is a Buddha statuette.
The debris that destroyed the Explorer even has an allegorical place in the film. As Stone tries to reach safety and make her way back to Earth, she continually has to face the debris that circles earth and comes back around every 90 minutes. This can be allegorical to problems that we deal with in our everyday life: even though we may get through them or avoid them one time, they will keep coming around to face us again and again.
Another strong theme in Gravity is evolution. Our main character, Dr. Ryan Stone, evolves over the course of the film from a depressed, downtrodden individual who has no concern if she lives or dies to a determined warrior who will do whatever it takes to survive and return to Earth. Cuaron even goes as far as visually communicating her evolution. When she finally returns to Earth, her space capsule falls into a lake and sinks to the bottom. As Stone begins rising to the surface, we see a frog (this creature who has evolved itself) rising to the water’s surface. As Stone washes up on the shore, she is this evolving creature fresh out of the muddy water onto new soil. After saying, "thank you" to presumably a supernatural being (God), Stone slowly starts to get up; then falls back down because of the newly found gravity on earth. Unfazed due to her experience, she gives a slight laugh and rises to a knee, and then finally to both feet, as an animal rising on to a higher evolutionary level. As she towers over the camera, we come to realize fully the radical transformation and evolution that has gone through her character in the course of the film. The film closes with her walking away from the camera, to an unknown, but certainly better future.
Another strong theme in Gravity is evolution. Our main character, Dr. Ryan Stone, evolves over the course of the film from a depressed, downtrodden individual who has no concern if she lives or dies to a determined warrior who will do whatever it takes to survive and return to Earth. Cuaron even goes as far as visually communicating her evolution. When she finally returns to Earth, her space capsule falls into a lake and sinks to the bottom. As Stone begins rising to the surface, we see a frog (this creature who has evolved itself) rising to the water’s surface. As Stone washes up on the shore, she is this evolving creature fresh out of the muddy water onto new soil. After saying, "thank you" to presumably a supernatural being (God), Stone slowly starts to get up; then falls back down because of the newly found gravity on earth. Unfazed due to her experience, she gives a slight laugh and rises to a knee, and then finally to both feet, as an animal rising on to a higher evolutionary level. As she towers over the camera, we come to realize fully the radical transformation and evolution that has gone through her character in the course of the film. The film closes with her walking away from the camera, to an unknown, but certainly better future.
The sequence of photos above illustrates how Cuaron visually represented Stone's evolution over the course of the film. In the final shot, she is heading towards an unknown, but certainly positive future.
In conclusion, Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity succeeds not only as a visually-striking film, but also an allegorical and thought-provoking exercise that explores our will to survive as humans, as well as our evolution and nature. It is certainly a pioneering film that will be remembered for many years to come.
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