History Film / Gravity

* ArtisticLicenseMilitary:
** Dr. Stone is a medical engineer by profession and she's supposed to be one even as the ''Explorer'''s mission specialist. However, she is put to help Kowalski repair something that is as outside of her area of expertise as the ''Hubble Space Telescope'', only for the HandWaved reason that the piece she's installing is derived from the device she uses in her field. In real life, even small astronaut crews are ''not'' trained to [[OmnidisciplinaryScientist do everything]]; the Space Shuttle crews had seven astronauts, so there would have been more than enough manpower among the crew members to let a proper engineering expert do the job.

* DyingAlone: [[spoiler:Kowalski essentially floats off into space by himself. Stone [[TearJerker laments how she will die without anyone to mourn or pray for her]].]]

* FloatingWater: Played for literal {{tearjerker}} effect -- we realize Stone is crying when her tears start floating in bubbles through the microgravity of the Soyuz capsule. [[RuleOfDrama Note that Stone's tears would not have formed free-floating tear spheres.]] The liquid's surface tension would make them cling to her skin or eyelashes.

** Somewhat justified as it was added into the movie by Sandra Bullock who thought her character needed less motivation to survive. Originally her daughter was alive and well, giving Stone a reason to not give up.

** The Chinese space station leaves orbit and crashes to the Earth for no obvious reason. It seems to be caught in a rain of debris, but that could not possibly impart enough energy to cause reentry. However, it is possible that the station was intentionally deorbited by the Chinese to avoid adding to the KesslerSyndrome.

* MonumentalDamage: The satellite debris deals spectacularly catastrophic damage to the most iconic achievements of the modern space program, including the space shuttle, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the International Space Station. This would cause what's known as KesslerSyndrome and has a high likelihood of rendering space inaccessible from Earth for a very long time (until the debris deorbited by friction with the extremely thin atmosphere at that altitude). No more satellite communications, TV, weather, etc.

** The Chinese space station leaves orbit and crashes to the Earth for no obvious reason. It seems to be caught in a rain of debris, but that could not possibly impart enough energy to cause reentry. However, it is possible that the station was intentionally deorbited by the Chinese to avoid adding to the Kessler Syndrome.

* ItsProbablyNothing: NASA mission control informs the astronaut team that the Russians have just created a big debris field by shooting down a satellite, yet both control and Kowalski initially dismiss it. Given that this is ''NASA'' here, they should probably [[GenreBlindness know enough about space]] to guess how that could lead to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome a worst case scenario]] and taken steps to prepare for it. It actually takes Mission Control about 2 minutes to abort the mission, which could have given the astronauts twice the time to escape as they actually got.

* MonumentalDamage: The satellite debris deals spectacularly catastrophic damage to the most iconic achievements of the modern space program, including the space shuttle, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the International Space Station. This would cause what's known as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome Kessler syndrome]] and has a high likelihood of rendering space inaccessible from Earth for a very long time (until the debris deorbited by friction with the extremely thin atmosphere at that altitude). No more satellite communications, TV, weather, etc.

* SurprisinglyGoodForeignLanguage:
** Unusually for Hollywood, all Russian writing in this movie (such as button labels) features authentic Russian that actually matches what is happening on screen. This is probably because the actual Soyuz is not classified and so they could print the buttons to match the real deal.
** They also managed to make the little bits of Chinese accurate too. All the text printed on the Shenzhou control panel are accurate and the emergency voice played in the deorbiting Tiangong is perfect.

[[caption-width-right:300:It ''says'' "[[TemptingFate don't let go]]", and what do you do?]]

[[caption-width-right:300:It says "[[TemptingFate DON'T let go]]", and what do you do?]]

* ScareChord: After their space shuttle is badly damaged, Stone and Kowalski inspect inside for survivors. They shine a flashlight inside to see that the hull has been breached. There is silence for several seconds, until [[spoiler:the lifeless, frozen face of the captain, not in a space suit and exposed to the vacuum, appears right in front of Stone.]] Stone screams, accompanied by a loud, prolonged glissando and tremolo of violins.

* HollywoodPsych: Perhaps the most troubling and needless example of CriticalResearchFailure or pushing RuleOfDrama a little beyond logic. Dr. Stone's daughter died not that long ago, yet NASA apparently felt it was all right sending her as a mission specialist to Low Earth Orbit, despite her lingering depression over the loss of her child(!). Even the excuse of "they couldn't get anyone else" makes no sense in this case, given that every astronaut/cosmonaut crew in history has always had backup crew members (in case the primary ones would become sick or be otherwise indisposed).

** Some viewers have humorously noted that Kowalski looks like [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory Buzz Lightyear]].

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: [[InvertedTrope No, it's not.]] A piece of debris hits the shuttle, sending it spinning. Stone is still attached to the claw arm; when she unhooks the tether, she's tossed into space and can't stop spinning, which means she's unable to orient herself.

* MadeOfExplodium: Averted. Unlike, for instance, the comparable situation in ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'' -- where a small fire aboard the Mir space station eventually caused the whole thing to blow up spectacularly in mere minutes -- the fire on the International Space Station causes no structural damage at all, and is only a problem in that it eats up oxygen like nobody's business, and could have damaged the Soyuz capsule.

** The Chinese space station leaves orbit and crashes to the Earth for no obvious reason. It seems to be caught in a rain of debris, but that could not possibly impart enough energy to cause reentry.

* ComingInHot: [[spoiler:Stone gets to the Chinese station, but its orbit is already decaying. She has to pilot its reentry capsule down to the surface, even though the buttons are all labelled in Chinese.]]

* ConvenientlyClosePlanet: The space shuttle, the International Space Station, and the Chinese Tiangong are all within spitting distance of each other, despite really being in vastly differing orbits. The Tiangong is "100 miles" (in one line; "100 kilometers" in another) from the ISS, a figure which evidently stays stable in this film. Of course, if the movie was following the real-life distances and orbits however, Stone would have never survived. Cuarón stated in an interview that an early draft of the script did try to work with the fact the HST, ISS, and Tiangong were in different orbits in reality, but it ended up with half the movie being the characters explaining orbital mechanics, [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality so the decision was made to put them all in the same orbit for plot convenience]].

* IndyPloy: When you are stranded in space with nothing between you and vacuum except your suit, which is rapidly losing air, it's time to call in this trope.

* SpiritualSequel:
** To 1995's ''Film/Apollo13'', as it is a "serious" space disaster film based on current technology and starring astronauts rather than a straight sci-fi. Ed Harris [[ShoutOut even resumes]] [[CastingGag his role]] as MissionControl.
** It could also be viewed as one to ''Film/{{Marooned}}'', a 1969 film involving the crew of a then-present day spacecraft getting trapped in orbit following a technical malfunction and the subsequent race to save them. Cuarón himself has cited ''Marooned'' as a major influence on his film.

[[NamesTheSame No relations to]] a [[VideoGame/GravityRush Japanese videogame]]. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Also has nothing to do]] ''[[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls with a similary-named-not-related show.]]''

Two astronauts, Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (Clooney), are with the Space Shuttle ''Explorer'' on a routine mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope when the Russians decommission one of their satellites by shooting it down. As debris from the satellite spreads, the ensuing DisasterDominoes result in Houston losing their own radio satellites, the ''Explorer'' suffering catastrophic damage and Ryan and Matt being stranded in space and short on oxygen.

Among many other honors, the film was nominated for ten UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s and won seven, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón. While it lost Best Picture, Actress and Production Design, it still went a long way in beating down the ScifiGhetto.

Also related to the film is the short film "Aningaaq," detailing a scene in the story from a minor, earthbound, character's perspective. The short was directed by Cuarón's son and the film's co-writer, Jonas Cuarón. It was commissioned as a bonus feature on the film's DVD/Blu-Ray release for consideration in the Best Live-Action Short Film Oscar, but didn't get nominated. It can be watched [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gravity-spinoff-watch-side-sandra-657919 here]], however it makes more sense after seeing the connected scene in ''Gravity''. Tropes in "Aningaaq" are listed at the bottom of this page.

For the Starz series, go [[Series/{{Gravity}} here]].

''Gravity'' is a 2013 thriller set in space, directed by Creator/AlfonsoCuaron and starring Creator/SandraBullock and Creator/GeorgeClooney.

Was nominated for ten UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s and won seven, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón. It lost in Best Picture and Best Actress categories, but still went a long way in beating down the ScifiGhetto.

Watch the first trailer [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufsrgE0BYf0 here]] and the three trailers [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ijEEivCbg "Detached"]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y7Hg5mxMPE "Drifting"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alq4CHqEL6A "I've Got You"]].

Also related to ''Gravity'' is the short film "Aningaaq," detailing a scene in the story from a minor, earthbound, character's perspective. The short was directed by Cuarón's son and the film's co-writer, Jonas Cuarón. It was commissioned as a bonus feature on the film's DVD/Blu-Ray release for consideration in the Best Live-Action Short Film Oscar, but didn't get nominated. It can be watched [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gravity-spinoff-watch-side-sandra-657919 here]], however it makes more sense after seeing the connected scene in ''Gravity''. Tropes in "Aningaaq" are listed at the bottom of this page.

Two astronauts, Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (Clooney), are with the Space Shuttle ''Explorer'' on a routine mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope when the Russians decommission one of their satellites by shooting it down. The resulting DisasterDominoes, as debris from the satellite spreads, results in Houston losing their own radio satellites, the ''Explorer'' being catastrophically damaged and Ryan and Matt left stranded in space and short on oxygen.

** The Russian military, really, would not use a missile to dispose of any satellite, even a spy satellite (nor would any other country -- the movie's scenario (the Kessler syndrome) aside, it's a very difficult task). That's what [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_orbit graveyard orbits]] are for. (Occasionally defunct satellites are shot down if control of the satellite has been lost and there's a substantial risk of it coming down over a populated area, with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA-193 USA-193]] being an example, but it is very rare.[[note]]It contained a tank containing 1000 lbs of hydrazine, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrazine#Health_effects a carcinogen and generally nasty substance]], and could've created a large toxic cloud had it fallen to earth. So they shot it down.[[/note]]) As of November 2021, Russian military did indeed destroy one of their old dead satellite as a demonstration test with a killsat payload.

** The Russian military, really, would not use a missile to dispose of any satellite, even a spy satellite (nor would any other country -- the movie's scenario (the Kessler syndrome) aside, it's a very difficult task). That's what [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_orbit graveyard orbits]] are for. (Occasionally defunct satellites are shot down if control of the satellite has been lost and there's a substantial risk of it coming down over a populated area, with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA-193 USA-193]] being an example, but it is very rare.[[note]]It contained a tank containing 1000 lbs of hydrazine, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrazine#Health_effects a carcinogen and generally nasty substance]], and could've created a large toxic cloud had it fallen to earth. So they shot it down.[[/note]])

* SpaceIsCold: The shuttle crew freezes solid, instantly, when exposed to the vacuum of space. In reality, it would take hours for them to freeze.

* RuleOfDrama: Despite the emphasis on scientific accuracy, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_%28film%29#Scientific_accuracy there are several of these]]. Also [[http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2376/1 here]]. That being said, it's still one of the [[ShownTheirWork more accurate films]] ever made about space.

* SceneryGorn: The destruction of ''Explorer'' and the ISS, and the reentry of Tiangong.
* SceneryPorn: Some of the shots of Earth from outer space and some of the space shot itself is amazingly beautiful.