Director Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi “Interstellar” envisions the near future, in which the rapidly decaying world struggles with famine. As dust storms ravage towns and crop failure rapidly increase, an underground NASA organization assembles a team of four to explore space in search of a new planet suitable for mankind.
The lead Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), is a single father who previously piloted for NASA but left to become a farmer after surviving a crash. Brand (Anne Hathaway), daughter of NASA director Professor Brand (Michael Caine), accompanies Cooper on the voyage. The remaining two members are Doyle (Wes Bentley from the “Hunger Games” movies) and Romilly (David Gyasl)
With limited fuel and supplies, the crew’s mission is to enter a wormhole near Saturn and scout three potentially inhabitable planets. Once the appropriate planet is found, they plan to transport humans from Earth to the new planet, in hopes of saving the human race from extinction. If the crew is unable to return to Earth, they aim to restart the human population using a colony of incubated eggs
The plot also revolves around the relationship between Cooper and his daughter Murphy. Due to the theory of relativity, Cooper is able to watch Murphy mature from the video messages he receives from her in space. McConaughey performs outstanding acting in the scenes where he portrays Cooper realizing how much time has passed by on earth while he is in space.
Even with the little screen time he is given, Matt Damon also graciously delivers. Damon portrays his character’s transformation with each line, and kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.
“Interstellar” is exemplary in combining sci-fi story elements with a scientifically accurate setting. Concepts like wormholes and time dilation are effectively explained in simple terms to keep the plot complex, yet enjoyable by all audiences. Add the sarcastic robots, radical planets, mind-bending black hole theories, and the stunning visuals, and you’ve got a complete package from Nolan.
Through “Interstellar,” Nolan is also able to suck his audiences into a world that feels real. He mixes action, drama, humor, and emotion to humanize the science fiction film. The themes of relationships and survival also add to the impact “Interstellar” leaves on its viewers.
Albeit its strong points, “Interstellar” is not a masterpiece. For example, the two hours and 47 minutes run time seems a bit too long for many audiences to stay hooked. The film also ties things together at the end a bit too neatly. In other words, it just doesn’t seem practical that everything would work out in the end for Cooper and Murphy, especially with an exhilarating ending.
“Interstellar” is a great movie, but definitely isn’t Nolan’s best work. There were also some extra parts in the movie that should have been cut out. These excess scenes don’t necessarily weigh “Interstellar” down, nor do they have significant roles in the plot overall. Had these been cut, the movie would have appealed to a much broader audience than it already is, due to a less lengthy run time.
Overall, “Interstellar” is a very well put together film. Nolan does a great job of tying together science fiction with the natural world we experience today. The A-list actors portray compelling characters that connect with audiences and their emotions. Many of the well -explained scientific theories and concepts applied in the movie also add to the net positive effect of the movie. Because of all these reasons, “Interstellar” is an uplifting experience for all audiences.