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Gravity

Gravity

Don't let go.

201391 minPG-13Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Director
Alfonso Cuarón
Starring
Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Orto Ignatiussen

Dr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Gravity?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Gravity streaming on Paramount+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Gravity?

Gravity earns 14 badges, led by Universally Loved and Cultural touchstone.

Show 6 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Gravity worth watching?

Gravity's Midcredits score is the 92nd percentile of all films, from 1.9M ratings across 6 sources. 79% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

92nd percentile

Better received than 92% of films

94th percentile among Drama93rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)89th

75 /100

92nd percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2010s

Critics 96 · Audience 74

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

79% liked it

89th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2010s
79% rated it 7–1021% rated it 1–6

Critics 96% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 51 wins / 45 noms overall

  • WonGolden Globes· Best Director - Motion Picture
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Drama

99th percentile

1.9M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 9% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$100M
Opening weekend$56M
Domestic gross$274M
Worldwide gross$724M

Returned 7.2× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is visually spectacular, with most praising the special effects and cinematography, but opinions diverge on the strength of the story and character development.

Fans praised

  • groundbreaking 3D and space visuals
  • visceral sound design and effects
  • emotional survival theme

Detractors panned

  • weak and thin plot
  • underdeveloped characters
  • laughable dialogue

What stands out

Cinematography95

visually stunning, innovative use of 3D and long takes

Effects and spectacle95

realistic and immersive, with awe-inspiring set pieces

Atmosphere90

makes the audience feel lost in space, palpable dread

Emotional impactDivisive60

moves some, but misses for others

ActingDivisive55

performance of lead divided, some find it compelling, others unconvincing

CharactersDivisive40

thin, lacking depth and development

Plot and story35

simple and cliched, with some logical flaws

Dialogue30

clunky and unnatural lines

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 19 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 14 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Gravity like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Awestruck · 1% of films: Wonder at something vast or marvelous.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its life-or-death struggle with grave sincerity while inspiring awe at the beauty and terror of space.
The rideSustained dread during the debris crises gives way to a quiet existential struggle before a cathartic, hard-won ending.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the spacewalk through successive crises to the rescue and return.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

Rousing · 10% of filmsHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe journey of survival and rebirth leaves the viewer inspired and uplifted by the triumph of the human will.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows a stranded astronaut fighting to survive and return to Earth after her shuttle is destroyed by debris, a classic survival ordeal.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsSurvivalGrief · 6% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeStone's journey is not just about physical survival but about finding a reason to continue living after profound personal loss.
StanceDespite vast odds, the film affirms that reconnecting with purpose — even after devastating loss — is worth the fight.

The world

ContemporaryOuter spaceInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicForeground music · original score · Steven Price
Settinglow Earth orbit, centered around the Hubble Space Telescope, the ISS, and the Chinese space station Tiangong.
MusicThe score uses sparse, drifting textures during peaceful moments and explosive percussion during crises, mirroring the isolation of space.

Content guide

Is Gravity okay for kids?

PG-13

Gravity is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (51/100), sexual content at minimal (7/100), language at moderate (49/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (11/100) and frightening material at intense (71/100). Overall it is heavier than 73% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 32 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Belgium14
  • BGC
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceΚ
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • MOB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland14
  • Taiwan6+
  • Türkiye10+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 45% of all filmsHeavier than 73% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 55%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 6%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 67%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 10%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 91%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Gravity have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Gravity?

Cast

3 of the 7 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sandra Bullock
as Ryan Stone
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
George Clooney
as Matt Kowalski
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ed Harris
as Mission Control
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Orto Ignatiussen
as Aningaaq
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Phaldut Sharma
as Shariff
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Amy Warren
as Explorer Captain
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Basher Savage
as Russian Space Station Captain
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Gravity?

Movies like Gravity include Marooned (1969), Love (2011) and Life (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about astronauts, and most are survival ordeal stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its world: outer space. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Gravity?

770 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: castaway. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.