Dr. Stone reaches land and gravity.
I have heard for months how "Gravity" was a stupid title for this film. Whether it be from the lips of my father or astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, everybody seems to think that a movie that takes place in space should be called "Zero-Gravity", not "Gravity". There is, after all, no gravitation in space.
I can understand these complaints. However, it's pretty obvious that "Gravity" is a much better title than "Zero-Gravity". Let's face it, folks. "Zero-Gravity" sounds like it would be the title of a bad SyFy channel original movie, not a huge blockbuster.
So, aside from "Gravity" sounding both simplistic, familliar and intense, why would the filmmakers call it "Gravity" if it takes place largely in an area of space where there is *no* gravity? Just because it sounds cool? If so, that's pretty weak!
Good question, but I assure you that this is not the case.
The film's title is far from just sounding cool and scientific. For one thing, Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron were extremely scientifically literate. They know there is zero-gravity in space. They wouldn't be stupid enough to name the picture Gravity because it sounds cool even if it's inappropriate.
There is a much better reason for naming the picture Gravity.
First of all, how does re-entry protocol work? If there's no thrust to send spacecraft flying through the atmosphere, how did Ryan Stone get home?
Gravity.
How does Ryan Stone stand up after landing on Earth without floating away?
Gravity.
So, contrary to popular belief, Gravity is not named as a cheap cop-out, but for another far deeper reason. Anybody who knows much about this film was that it wasn't made for the effects. It was made to tell a story about the darkness in our lives and how we overcome it. The film is rich with metaphors of all sorts, and one of these is the title itself. There are a few different ways to look at the title alone for this reason.
The filmmakers wanted to make Gravity about how great Earth is, since it is where life and human connection is. They clearly state this on multiple occasions. "Gravity is more than a physical force. It was a fundamental character of the film," Cuarón said. Bullock's character, Dr. Ryan Stone, is a first-time astronaut who finds herself struggling against microgravity to regain a hold on her life, both literally and figuratively. To that end, Bullock described gravity is 'an adversary'. "I mean, the lack of gravity is the adversary, but it is also the metaphor in feeling so out of control in life. Here, we are able to show it as a physical thing rather than the metaphor. The metaphor now becomes an actual adversary that your body does not know how to control."
Gravity is named after the gravity experienced at film's ending and how it ultimately allows for human life, not at all the space aspect of the film. It was named after our home and the triumphance of having gravity on Earth. Gravity gets her home and, in a way, allows Dr. Stone to finally be able to walk in the right direction for herself.