Upside Down

Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst, Timothy Spall
Directed by: Juan Solanas
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two planets exist directly next to each other, with opposite gravities. Among these two worlds, two people (Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst) fall in love, despite the fact that they are from opposite worlds, and their love is forbidden.

Review:

Tim: I really enjoyed Upside Down, but your ultimate opinion of this movie likely depends on whether you get caught up in the wacky science or not. In the film, two worlds exist, each with their own gravity. Objects and people from each planet are pulled by their own gravity, not the other planet's gravity. There's no basis in fact for this. It's actually quite ridiculous- it defies all the laws of gravity, and makes no sense at all. This film isn't rooted in fact or science- it's most definitely a fantasy film. If you can get over this fact, you might find enough here to surprise you.

The most stunning aspect of this film is certainly the visuals. I was blown away by the depiction of these two worlds, directly next to each other. Imagine looking up, and looking down upon another world. The visuals here are amazing, and I felt like I was watching most of this movie with my jaw open. Even better is when you see the different effects of gravity. Despite the fact that it's ridiculous, it's amazing. One of the best sequences involves Sturgess in the water, where he takes off his weights, falls up from one world and down into the water of the second world. It's incredible. There are a few scenes of two mountain peaks, stretching up away from their home world and almost meeting the other. The landscape shots with the clouds swirling around them was gorgeous. The visuals alone made this movie worth seeing, and I loved that aspect of the film. Because of how amazing it looked, I was able to forgive the film for some massive plot holes (as the planets are connected by a large skyscraper, apparently the two worlds don't spin, because the building would be ripped apart, right?). If you can forgive the logical impossibility of the film, you will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience.

The story itself is a bit lacking. It's very small and simplistic, and never follows its themes to their full extents. The story of the characters leaves something to be desired. Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst fall in love, but they are from different worlds, and their love is forbidden. We've heard this story before. I know that the two worlds concept is a wonderful analogy for their relationship, but it's a bit simplistic. We also have a character with amnesia (how convenient). There's quite a few easy criticisms you could make about the characters. I thought Jim Sturgess did a good job. While I very much disliked his voice over work, his acting was good. I like him as an actor. Kirsten Dunst was pretty good as well. I don't think she did anything remarkable, but she was serviceable in the role. Timothy Spall also gave a good supporting performance.

While I liked this movie, I admit that the whole thing takes so much forgiveness for its many logical mistakes and weak story that it's impossible to claim this is a great movie. However, it makes up for some of these with truly stunning visuals. In the end, I enjoyed Upside Down. I had to continually pause the film to think out loud- "Wait a second, so his gravity is more than offsetting her own, so that allows them to.....whatever." I loved that this film really challenged my mind while entertaining me as well. I admit this film is not for everyone, but I found its unique premise refreshing.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Across the Universe, Melancholia