Gravity’s teaser trailer astounded me, although it left many viewers asking why anyone would make a film mostly containing Sandra Bullock drifting through space for 90 minutes. Then came the theatrical trailer, which showed off some of the dazzling, uncut footage from the film’s awe-inspiring and continuous 12-minute opening shot.
This is a purely visceral experience, leaving the viewer wanting to catch their breath and calm down just as much as Bullock’s character, Dr. Ryan Stone. The promo highlights both the technical virtuosity of the science-fiction thriller, as well as the weight (or, ahem, the gravity) of this adventure for the character. Especially notable is the middle of the promo, when it quickly cuts to black and then zooms in closer on Bullock as she panics and realizes the terror of her situation. It’s no wonder that the buzz behind Gravity reached the crescendo it did before breaking the October opening weekend record.