A Point of Geeks report
Christopher Nolan returns with his latest offering and entry into the science fiction cinematic library with Interstellar. The film marks Nolan's first voyage into space and the unknown. Interstellar is bolstered by a great leading performance, awe-inspiring visuals and a story full of relevant ideas.
Interstellar takes place in the near future, where the Earth's natural resources are depleted and mankind is facing extinction in a matter of generations or less. The land is no longer able to sustain crops and the Earth has developed into an inhabitable dust bowl. Matthew McConaughey plays Cooper, an expert pilot and former astronaut, who has had to make a life as a farmer to support his two kids. Nolan uses this film to get across several social messages and warnings. One of the major themes is how in modern times, humanity has lost its sense of exploration and discovery.
Cooper's daughter Murphy has shown to have a genius level intellect and is troubled by anomalies in her bedroom that she believes is a ghost trying to communicate with her. Together they discover that it is actually a message leading them to a secret NASA location. At the headquarters they find that life on Earth is doomed. Previously astronauts had been sent through a wormhole near Saturn, in hopes of finding a place to relocate humanity. However, there had been no response, so McConaughey and three others embark on a last ditch effort to find a new home for Earthlings.
While this is a fictional story spawned from the mind of screenwriters Jonathan and Christopher Nolan, the film tethers the plot with real-life science and physics, that brings a level of plausibility to the movie. It also is breathtaking to see space and new planets that aren't solely based on imagination, but based on advanced theories about how the universe does appear. Honestly the visuals are worth the price of admission, however the Nolans have managed to tie in an extremely grounded emotional connection to Cooper, who is truly conflicted by his destiny in the stars and his duty as a father.
So who is the villain of the movie? Time. Nolan uses the one thing that is out of human control to add tangible tension to the film. This is where the use of real world science really contributes to the storytelling. Cooper wants to save mankind and he also wants to keep his word to his daughter and return home to his family. He and the crew are faced with decisions like visiting a planet where every hour that goes by, is equivalent to seven years passing on Earth. It is truly fascinating and gives Nolan the opportunity to expertly raise tensions with his trademark usage of cross-cutting.
Nolan's cast is full of familiar, talented actors including Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Wes Bentley, John Lithgow and Jessica Chastain. Aside from Chastain, much of the supporting cast really doesn't get the opportunity to shine. However, that is due mostly to the writing and McConaughey literally owning every scene that he appears in.
This is probably Nolan's most emotionally involved film. One of the criticisms of Nolan's past movies is that they may be a little cold and emotionless. He certainly tackles that notion head-on in this movie, as the interpersonal drama is what powers the core of the plot. The story really boils down to a father's love for his children and what sacrifices people make for their family, versus what sacrifices people are willing to make for the greater good. Nolan asks in many ways, would you forsake your own blood to help out the greater humanity? And is that even the right thing to do? The bond between family and the unseen strings that connect generations together is explored in fascinating and complicated ways, especially by the end.
The end of the movie asks a lot of the audience and this may be ultimately what leads to a divide in appreciation of the film. The story up until that point is relatively straight forward, however Nolan includes some twists and character decisions that are heartbreaking, yet understandable. However, there is a level of mysticism that explains a few of the film's mysteries that may turn off viewers who were sold by the science of the movie.
Interstellar is one of the more ambitious projects from Christopher Nolan. While it is not a seamless journey, it is one that should be taken by fans of Nolan's work, space travel, and those looking for a grounded family drama. One of the great achievements of the movie is that it is able to balance all of those sensibilities. There are moments of great spectacle and it should be seen on the largest screen possible. However, make sure to bring your thinking cap, because this is far from mindless entertainment. Interstellar is worth a trip through the stars, just take heed that you may not come back the same afterwards.
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Source: Point of Geeks