Astronaut Buzz Aldrin has some major authority when it comes to space, thanks to his status as the second man ever to walk on the moon and one of the first to float in space for extravehicular activity. Those credentials make Aldrin uniquely qualified to comment on the authenticity of Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity," and the legendary astronaut gave the film a big thumbs up.
In a guest review for The Hollywood Reporter, Aldrin discussed what was accurate -- and what was not -- about the George Clooney-Sandra Bullock film, and overall, the movie earned high praise from the space pioneer.
"I was so extravagantly impressed by the portrayal of the reality of zero gravity," Aldrin wrote. "Going through the space station was done just the way that I've seen people do it in reality. ... I was happy to see someone moving around the spacecraft the way George Clooney was. It really points out the degree of confusion and bumping into people, and when the tether gets caught, you're going to be pulled -- I think the simulation of the dynamics was remarkable."
Aldrin added that the spinning that occurs in zero gravity was "maybe not quite [as] vigorous" as depicted in the film, and chided "Gravity"'s crystal clear depiction of Earth from space.
"I know: If you're looking down at Earth, you're looking through an atmosphere that has a bit of haze in many places and not just occasional clouds," he wrote.
Still,the film succeeded in many ways, Aldrin said, and also conveyed an important message about the past, present, and future of space exploration.
"I think it reminds us that there really are hazards in the space business, especially in activities outside the spacecraft," he said. " ... We're in a very precarious position of losing all the advancements we've made in space that we did 40 years ago, 50 years ago. From my perspective, this movie couldn't have come at a better time to really stimulate the public. I was very, very impressed with it."
For more of Aldrin's thoughts, check out his full review at The Hollywood Reporter.
For our thoughts on the space epic, read our "Gravity" review.