Movie Review: Interstellar (2014)
In the year 2067, Earth becomes uninhabitable after worldwide crop failure. After concluding that humanity will go extinct, NASA plans a mission to save humanity: find a habitable planet in another galaxy. NASA enlists Cooper, a former test pilot turned farmer, along with other astronauts. Leaving his two kids behind, Cooper embarks on a lifelong mission to save humanity’s future.
Released in 2014, Interstellar is directed by Christopher Nolan, who is a household name for movies such as The Dark Knight and Oppenheimer. Although Interstellar was not a huge hit when it was released, it started to pick up in popularity over the past few years with people recognizing it as an ahead-of-its-time science fiction film.
Interstellar is a long, complex, emotional, and deeply thought-provoking film that heavily explores the theme of time. What makes it stand out is the lack of a true villain except the threat of time running out. Cooper is trying to save Earth before the end of time and the extinction of the human race, but he also misses his young kids growing up. Cooper’s decision to leave his family for the mission is extremely heartbreaking, and all Cooper wants is to see his kids again before time runs out.
One scene in the film that especially stands out is when Cooper and the astronauts explore a potential planet for humans to live on. However, time is slower on this planet, with one hour on the planet being seven years on Earth. Cooper decides to take the risk and visit the planet, knowing that every second they spend on it will reduce their time to complete the mission and see their families again. While on the planet, something goes wrong, and in a thrilling sequence they must escape the planet as fast as possible.
Despite most of the movie taking place in another galaxy, Interstellar spends a large portion of the first act setting up Cooper’s life on Earth and portraying his wholesome relationship with his young kids. Some people may feel that the film lingers too long on Earth, but these scenes set up Cooper’s personality and serve as a warning for what the future of America might look like. It’s very clear that the Earth is falling apart and that this mission will determine if the human species will live. This highlights the gravity of the movie’s plot: the stakes couldn’t possibly be higher.
Once Cooper leaves for space, the movie does not completely abandon Earth. Focusing on Cooper’s daughter Murph, who is just 10 years old when he leaves, the film delves into how his departure has impacted his children’s lives. The two have a sour goodbye, with Murph refusing to look at him when he leaves. Even as Murph begins to understand the importance of the mission, she still feels like someone else besides her father is capable of completing the mission, and she feels like her father has left her to die on Earth. These moments reflect another key theme of the film: family. Without a mother and raised by her older brother and estranged grandfather, Murph’s story emphasizes the importance of a loving and supportive family and explores the consequences of its absence for a young child.
Matthew McConaughey, who plays Cooper, gives a career-best performance and, shockingly, he was not nominated for that year’s Oscars’ Best Actor. Cooper is the heart and soul of the movie, starring the most emotional scenes. Most of these come from the masterful moments where Cooper watches video messages from his kids and realizes how much of their lives he is missing. While no one stands out as much as McConaughey, the other performances are great too, including Anne Hathaway as one of Cooper’s fellow astronauts, Matt Damon as an astronaut trapped on a planet alone for several years, and Timothée Chalamet as Cooper’s dejected son.
The cinematography and visuals of both the apocalyptic Earth and the new galaxy are breathtaking, along with a brilliant score that makes the emotional moments have even more of an impact. The depiction of space makes the scale of the movie feel massive but also makes the viewer feel small and insignificant, something that the movie intentionally tries to do.
Although Interstellar is mostly a science fiction film and contains several gut-wrenching scenes, there are many fun and thrilling action sequences mixed in. These action scenes make the movie more exciting and also provide relief from all the intricate scientific concepts and heavy emotional moments.
Interstellar has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Much of the criticism around the movie is about claims of a convoluted plot and long run time. While the movie is nearly three hours long and its plot relies heavily on complex science, this doesn’t take anything away from the movie. Although viewers will have to pay close attention for nearly its entire runtime, those who fully immerse themselves in the film will truly appreciate its story and the messages it carries about hope for the future.
Overall, despite the complicated plot and a few slow moments, Interstellar is one of the best science fiction films ever made. The film separates Cooper and his children by millions of light-years through a mission to save humanity, yet at its core, it is a love story between a father and his kids, with Cooper’s true mission being to reunite with them. All of this culminates in the stunning final act of the film, where Cooper realizes that instead of science, the love he has for his children may be the solution to saving the world. Interstellar is a must-watch and shines in every possible way.
9.5/10
