1. Gravity Forces Us To Face Our Mortality
There is a beauty in what appear to be Dr. Stones final moments near the end of the film. These are not unlike the moments shared by the characters at the end of Lars von Triers Melancholia (2011) who similarly come to terms with the meaning of their lives amidst impending doom. Stone, as a non-traditional hero, appears to increasingly doubt the chances of her survival. While we as the audience root for her, we too have the sense that she may not make it. It seems far too improbable that she could survive such a set of dire circumstances in outer space. As we focus on Dr. Stones seeming doom we tear up, perhaps in part due to the opportunity that the film gives us to ruminate on our own mortality. The final hurdles faced by Dr. Stone seem insurmountable and hope appears to be lost. With the exception of the one overt bit of melodrama near the end of the film that suggests some hopea mixture of dream sequence, religious appeal, and an undeveloped backstory about Stones deceased daughterwe (and Stone) are caught up in a nihilistic path of despair, realizing all too well what awaits us. At the films end, we are left contemplating the fate of Stoneit appears that she has escaped her peril, but where has she landed and who, if anyone, will find her? As well, we contemplate the future of our species as Cuarón gives us a Darwinian metaphor of Stone emerging as an organism from the water. As we watch that final scene we are left wondering and reflecting on it all. This being the true joy of epic film. It allows us to reflect on it and, in the process, we reflect back on ourselvesin a deep sense beyond the special effects.
Scott A. Lukas
Contributor
Scott A. Lukas has taught anthropology and sociology Lake Tahoe Community College for sixteen years and in 2013 was Visiting Professor of American Studies at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany. He has been recognized with the McGraw-Hill Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology by the American Anthropological Association (2005), the California Hayward Award for Excellence in Education (2003), and a Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program Award in Literary–Professional (2009). In 2006, he was a nominee to the California Community College Board of Governors. He is the author/editor of The Immersive Worlds Handbook (2012), Theme Park (2008), The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nature, and Self (2007), Fear, Cultural Anxiety, and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films Remade, (co-edited with John Marmysz, 2009), Recent Developments in Criminological Theory (co-edited with Stuart Henry, 2009), and Strategies in Teaching Anthropology (2010). His book Theme Park was recently translated into Arabic. He appeared in the documentary The Nature of Existence and has provided interviews for To the Best of Our Knowledge, The Huffington Post UK, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, and Caravan (India).
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