Review of Interstellar (2014) by Barney O — 20 Jul 2017

WHAT I LIKED: Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar,' manages to evoke a feeling that no other film has ever got close to; a genuinely overwhelming mix of pure awe, fear, touched emotion and reflective beauty all rolled into one incredible package. For me, as a result, it not only winds up one of my favourite movies of all time, but it also far-surpasses virtually every other film under Nolan's expert hand as it succeeds in a slightly richer and emotional way than many of his other films which helps to build unprecedented emotional engagement in the story - and consequently the ideas.

In fact, never does one find themselves out of the all-consuming experience throughout Interstellar's lengthy run-time, as well-built and beautifully-portrayed characters hook you into the world extremely well and not only take you on the thematic and spectacle-driven journey you expect, but also on a surprisingly gut-punching emotional one that constantly brings tears of awe, elation, angst and sadness to the eye. Couple that with the the sheer wonder you feel as Nolan delivers his most impressive and immersive visual experience of all, and as Hans Zimmer composes his most incredible score yet; you've got yourself a film that leaves you truly speechless and genuinely shook for days on end.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: If you allow yourself to distance from the emotion and amazement even for a second, you'll realise the physical concepts and ideas, and perhaps even the overall narrative, are slightly over-ambitious.

VERDICT: Nolan delivers his most ambitious and shockingly heart-felt movie of all, and the result is definitely one of his best, and perhaps one of the best cinema has seen in a long time.