. . . it doesn't deserve its current (Mar 2014) score of 8.1 -- that is more than just a tad over-generous.

Yes, the visual effects were pretty cool, but aside from that, it was pretty predictable, and very slow-to-the-point. More than once caught myself thinking "Oh c'mon, shut-up and get on with it, or just die already".

Rather than being what I expected -- a suspenseful-action-sci-fi flick -- its basically one of those "personal angst" sagas -- films where the main character(s) continually self-analyze themselves-to-death. It was almost as bad as a angst-filled, over-dramatized, Meloni-Hartigay episode of Law & Order SVU -- you know the ones I mean, where you can cut the petty, angst-filled tension with a butter knife.

Needless to say, these "watch someone agonize over their pathetic life" movies are not for me. I expected to see action, and action, then more action, not an insecure, depressed 30-something doubting herself and her life's value for 90 minutes. Truth be told, every time it got slow, and Stone (Bullock) started talking to or pitying herself again, I grabbed the remote and hit Fast-Forward until it got to something cool.

Yes, it was worth the $1.27 rental fee at the RedBox, and the hour it took to watch it (thank God for Fast-Fwd), but man am I ever glad I didn't waste an evening, and drop $20 + Snack Bar cash at the theater to see it. Dollar for dollar, the overnight DVD rental, two 6-packs of beer, and a pizza would be a much sounder investment.

Seriously, I think you'll agree 5 stars is more than fair for Gravity.