"Interstellar" Review

Title: Interstellar

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Screenplay by: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan

Year: 2014


Interstellar is arguably the biggest film of the year. For many, it was the most anticipated, and given that it is written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Mathew McConaughey, I can see why. So, does Interstellar live up to its hype, or does it leave much to be desired?

Set in a future time, the Earth is experiencing a shortage of food due to a world-wide crop blight. Frequent dust storms also plague the planet. A former NASA astronaut named Cooper (McConaughey) agrees to go into space and find a habitable planet on the other side of a wormhole.

The premise is incredibly interesting and it has "Christopher Nolan" written all over it. Writing the screenplay could not have been an easy task. Though perhaps not as intricate as Inception, the effort from the writing process clearly shows. The concepts are incredibly inventive and the dialogue is well constructed. However, the screenplay is not flawless. The main issue is that the filmmakers cannot decide whether to go the emotional route or the scientific route. One could work or the other could work, but not both. Unfortunately, Interstellar strives for both and falls utterly short of both marks.

In terms of its characters though, Interstellar succeeds, for the most part. McConaughey is absolutely "stellar" in his role as a leader and a father. He nails both aspects and effortlessly garners audience sympathy. His daughter is played by Mackenzie Foy and by Jessica Chastain. Chastain plays the older Murph well, but it's Foy that gives the standout performance. She really sells the emotion and her interactions with McConaughey are "out of this world". Anne Hatheway does well but her character is rather plain. She has a few emotional moments but beyond that she does't really hold much weight in the film. There is also a surprise appearance by a certain well known actor. Michael Caine is good as always, but his character's role betrays the intelligence of the film. More on that later. Even the robot TARS is voiced very well. He's no HAL 9000, but he is a pretty entertaining character.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* A little past halfway through the film, I'd measure, we are introduced to another character in the story. Dr Mann is played by Matt Damon. Damon fits the role and gives a good performance but I have to say that the movie would have been much better without the inclusion of Dr. Mann, or at least, the way he is portrayed. More on that later.

*SPOILER FREE* The visual effects are breathtaking. Everything looks seamless and perfectly captures the beauty of space. The different planets, though incredibly basic, look gorgeous. The sound design is also magnificent. This is a film that must be experienced in the theatre to get the full effect. The visual effects grip you and pull you into the movie and the sounds shake the auditorium and reverberate off the walls gloriously. The direction by Nolan is also spectacular. He has really made a name for himself by having inventive, enticing, and imaginative films. And the cinematography is not to be overlooked. The camera puts the beauty of the universe on full display and there are some great examples of good shot composition, particularly with Cooper. Now, I'm fine with long movies. Interstellar clocks in at just under three hours, and I have to say, it didn't fully utilize its time. It didn't ever drag, but Interstellar essentially uses three hours to tell a story of pit-stops.

From the moment the film starts, you instantly care for the family because they all seem realistic. But it is plainly obvious that both Donald and Tom needed much more development, particularly the latter. Because they are both so hollow, neither carries any emotional weight. As a result, Donald's death has zero impact. And near the end of the film, Tom's character goes a route that really detract's from Interstellar's uniqueness. One of the best things about Interstellar is that the real antagonist of the piece is time. This is a stroke of genius because no time is wasted on developing a useless villain. It also allows for a more dramatic experience...at first...

*SPOILERS AHEAD* One of the saddest things about Interstellar is how it betrays its ingenuity. It is later revealed that Caine's character, Dr. Brand, is a villain of sorts, which not only wastes time, but is unnecessary. The movie would have been stronger if left the way it was. Dr. Mann is also later shown to be an antagonist in a similar manner that Dr. Brand is, which further betrays what the film was going for. Finally, Tom becomes an antagonist for Murph back on Earth...for no reason. At least the other two cases were built up as characters first. Tom was hollow from the start and this sudden turn is unexplained and comes from nowhere.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* The other weakest aspect of the film is its conclusion. Like I said before, this movie could have gone for the emotional punch or the scientific approach. At the end, it is revealed that Cooper was Murph's ghost. This is touching but too convenient. The plot convenience could have been patched up if it was strictly going for the emotional approach. However, Cooper begins to explain the science behind the black hole and the dimension he entered. This then allows us to question the convenience of the plot. Why was the dimension only able to interact with Murph's room? How was it all possible? And most importantly, how in God's name did Murph know that Cooper was the one communicating with her?? The last question is the one that infuriates me the most. If the script stuck with the emotional core, it would have been excusable. But by bringing science into the mix, it undermines the diegesis as well as the ending of the movie. The ending was severely lacking of its emotional pull because of this. It didn't fall flat, but it could have been handled so much better.

Don't get me wrong, Interstellar is a really good film. Despite its flaws there is a lot to like and it might just be Nolan's most ambitious film to date. It's certainly not his best, but a good addition to his filmography. The story is very good, the characters are believable (for the most part), and the emotion is present. It falters in quite a number of areas but its ambitiousness and quality cannot be denied. Taking away some of the unnecessary plot elements would have made Interstellar a much grander movie. Interstellar tries to be the next 2001: A Space Odyssey and I have to say it utterly fails in that regard. It's not the best film of the year, but it was a very singular experience and I'm glad I was able to see it in theaters.

Grade: B+