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| Sandra Bullock as Dr. Ryan Stone in Gravity |
“St.
Francis’ Day Special”
A Review of Gravity by Nick Olszyk
MPAA Rating, PG-13
USCCB Rating, A-III
Reel Rating: 5 Reels
Space
is empty, void of matter, energy, heat, and any chance of survival for the
smallest bacteria, much less a human being. It is a testament to the glory of
God and human ingenuity that since 1961, explorers have been entering and even
living in this vast wasteland. Director Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity is a soaring witness to this feat, an excellent thriller
that revels in the ferocity of nature, the power of prayer, and the triumph of man
as image of the Creator. In an Icarian age, Gravity
is an important reminder that despite centuries of technology, all are still in
the hands of God. It’s a good thing they are the hands of a loving Father.
In
classic Cuarón style, the first 15 minutes of Gravity is a single, uninterrupted take that weaves seamlessly
between engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and NASA astronaut Matt
Kowalski (George Clooney) as they repair the Hubble telescope 600km above the
surface of the Earth. It’s a breathtaking sequence that rivals any in cinematic
history as the audience sees the immensity of the planet and outer space
juxtaposed with close-ups of the scientists chatting casually like car mechanics.
This is Stone’s first trip, and she is nervous and undisciplined. Kowalski is just
hours from breaking the record for spacewalk duration and moves around easily
like he was trimming his own backyard. Suddenly, debris from a satellite crash
rips through their shuttle leaving them stranded in space. It’s violent and
terrifying, especially since it happens without any sound but the heighted pace
of Stone gasping for air and the nerve racking radio communications between her
and Kowalski.
Miraculously,
they survive, but their shuttle is destroyed. They must maneuver over to the
International Space Station's damaged escape pod, not to escape but use it to
reach the Chinese station, which does have a functional return capsule. En
route, Kowalski encourages Stone talk to him about her life on Earth; she
reveals had a daughter once who died in a playground accident. Upon reaching
the ISS, Kowalski sacrifices himself to give Stone a chance to live. Alone in a
foreign world with little knowledge, Stone must survive the returning orbital
debris, drive the escape pod to the other station, and finally operate the
return capsule (in Chinese) to return home.
Thinking
she has failed, Stone begins to cry, making small tear droplets that float in
her tiny vessel. She tries to pray but admits that no one ever taught her how.
The film critic Stephen Greydanus noted how people in disaster movies
never seem to pray even when their lives are close to ending; Stone’s desire to
pray is not only accurate to human nature but a sad reflection on how an
agnostic society has failed her. Desperate and overwhelmed, she decides to kill
herself by turning off the oxygen. At this moment, Cuarón steers the film in a
new direction. Stone has a vision where Kowalski visits and tells her how to
operate the pod. Whether this is the last firings of a dying brain or a
visitation from a new saint is unclear. Then again, could it be both? The
experience gives Stone the courage to continue but also to pray. She asks
Kowalski to tell her daughter that she loves her and asks them to pray for her
safe return. There’s also a short insert of a St. Christopher icon taped to the
inside of the pod by the Russians. Not only is God present, so are the saints.
Cuarón is the
master of big and small, showing the awe of the Universe amid the tiny pleas of
miniscule humans without losing respect for either. The Sun, Earth, and endless
space form the constant background of this film, filling the screen. This is a
rare movie that is worth the price of IMAX 3D. It is fitting that Gravity was released on the Feast of St.
Francis because it is a loving ode to the awe of creation and the God that fastened
it. Creation is beautiful because it was made by God but also vicious and
unpredictable because it is tainted by original sin.
In the beginning
of the film, Kowlaski is amazed by the view while Stone simply works on her
software repair. He tells her to “enjoy the ride.” By the end of the film,
Stone has accepted this grace. At any moment any person could have the unfortunate
fate of Stone’s daughter. As dangerous as space seems, it is little different
than the vulnerability on living on solid ground. Having a full existence requires
following Christ’s advice to “not worry about your life.”
The last line of
the film has a character utter that all important theological phase: “thank
you.” Amidst the enormity of creation and the microcosm of individual human
lives, all one can feel is awe and gratitude. This is the true spiritual gift
called “fear of the Lord.” Nature could simply wipe all life away in the
instant, and yet God saves time and time again. A true theology of creation
propels men to worship God, give thanks, and live lives of great joy. As St.
Francis said in his Canticle of the Sun,
“Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve Him with great humility.”
Amen.
This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on October 8th, 2013. http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Blog/2628/space_for_awe_and_gratitude_a_review_of_gravity.aspx#.UpdgsdJDuSo
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