Gravity was a massive hit, both at the box office and with critics.
And thus, the backlash has begun… As is par for the course with a big successful film though, the backlash has also begun.
That its become a kicking horse of sorts.
To be fair, some werent impressed withGravityfrom the off.
Its hard to quarrel with that: if someone doesnt like something, they dont like it.
Worse, that theyve changed their mind about the film preciselydueto its success.
Theres an argument that part of the original appeal to some ofBlade Runnerwas that it wasnt successful.
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WithGravitythough, that didnt happen.
Worldwide, it outgrossedMan Of Steel.
Its takings were matching, and beating, those of big blockbuster movies.
It became that rarest of beasts: a film that critics loved, and people rushed off to see.
But then the magical graph of success versus acclaim comes in.
Because it seems in some quarters as though success and recognition poison a reaction to a film.
That its the done thing to go in the other direction, and position yourself against the crowd.
That it seemed as if a by-law somewhere had been lifted, meaning it was okay to likeTitanicagain.
WhenTitanicwas originally released, it was bathing in five star reviews.
Post-Oscar success, it was sneered at.Avatarwent through a comparable process.
That its the vision of Alfonso Cuaron, and not a studio executive.
It feels as if a focus group has been let nowhere near it.
I lost count how many times I sat watchingGravitywondering how the hell they did it.
I dont think Ive done that so much sinceBack To The Future Part II.
But also, I found myself utterly gripped by it.
That in 90 minutes, it did more for me that 99% of movies released in 2013.
Did it resonate for months afters?
Yet its still a powerful, interesting, different piece of cinema.
Can you imagine it working in any other format at all and having the same impact?
Im not in the blind.
And again, for those who never clicked with the film, thats fair enough.
That snobbery, rather than genuine opinion, is taking precedence.
Weve seen this time and time again of course.
Its that by-law: youre not allowed to be artistic and also be widely successful.
Its depressing, but predictable.
WithGravity, particularly so.
What kind of rubbish is that?
Why not simply give an honest opinion of a film, rather than find some bandwagon to jump aboard?
Gravityis, whether you like it or not, a staggering achievement.
Its a piece of bold, beautiful big screen art.
And it is art.
It has problems, and I suspect the small screen release may well magnify them.
But how gratifying is it that a film of such verve and ambition succeeded so much?
