Review of Interstellar (2014) by Dangerfar — 12 Nov 2014

Interstellar is a spectacular viscerally and emotionally powerful sci-fi movie-going experience that demands full immersion. Like all Nolan's movies, its strongest qualities are a uniquely thought-provoking and grand plot with a centered emotional heart peppered with poignant one-liners that force the audience to question the world and their place in it. Also like most Nolan movies, its weaker parts are comprised of somewhat contrived and sloppy dialogue and questionable pacing. Some have expressed distaste with the amount of exposition as well, however I am less inclined to fault a movie with such large and far reaching ideas for packaging these ideas in a way the audience will at least to some degree understand. In a 3 hour movie you don't have the time to fully flesh out ideas naturally that may be completely foreign to the audience, thus heavier than normal exposition is needed to make sure the they are properly strapped in for the ride.

The audiovisual experience of Interstellar (especially on an IMAX screen) is bar none. Perhaps only Avatar and Gravity could be said to be on a similar plane, but given the great attention to scientific detail of the subject matter here and the fact that recreating Black and worm holes has actually given rise to breakthroughs is studies on the subjects puts Interstellar in a league of its own.

The story is as ambitious as they come for this day and age. There has not been, and is not likely soon be, another movie of this scope and originality in a blockbuster format (with A-list actors performing at their best and a nearly $200 million budget). Detailing more would be a disservice (though at this point you've likely read more elsewhere), but suffice to say it is truly exciting that a movie like this could be made.

Like most things, what you get out of Interstellar will likely come from what you expect out of it. If you're looking for plot holes you'll find them (though debate could rage on for days about whether they're really holes or can be explained by current or possible future science). If you're looking for constant hi-octane action you won't find that here. If you're expecting neatly put together dialogue and characters you're likely to be disappointed, because that's not what Nolan's about.

Interstellar, like his other movies, is about stretching what a movie going experience (and indeed reality itself) can be. It is best viewed with an open and contemplative mind and wide eyes and ears. It offers a glimpse of the universe we've not previously perceived, and it can spawn threads of thought that otherwise may not have found footing while taking you on a grandly entertaining narrative journey. If that is valuable to you, then Interstellar will offer up one of the best movie-going experiences that can be had.