Interstellar: Movie Review

"We've always defined ourselves by the ability to overcome the impossible. And we count these moments. These moments when we dare to aim higher, to break barriers, to reach for the stars, to make the unknown known. We count these moments as our proudest achievements. But we lost all that. Or perhaps we've just forgotten that we are still pioneers. And we've barely begun. And that our greatest accomplishments cannot be behind us, because our destiny lies above us" ~ Cooper, Interstellar.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 Stars

Hmmmm, where to start?

For starters, I didn't realize until now how, growing up on science-fiction and space documentaries on the Discovery/Science channel, would one day prove useful. Years of listening to beyond my understanding techno-babble helped me survive Interstellar, the new space drama by Christopher Nolan.  Honestly, I love a sci-fi movie that treats its audience with respect towards intelligence, not skimming or belittling, but a little more set up and explanation would have proved useful in this new film.  (Granted, if only everything could have stayed within scientific logic, but I digress.)

Interstellar takes place in our near future.  The Earth is no longer safe for humanity with raging dust storms, high nitrogen air percentage, and diseases ravaging crops.  The solution?  A trip across the stars to see if the human race can move beyond our solar system and survive in another galaxy.

A wormhole mysteriously, and conveniently, shows up near Saturn.  And a group of scientist have discovered 12 Worlds on the other side that needs further exploration and analysis.

Meanwhile Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), ex-pilot now farmer, is living a dreary life in a job he hates while raising two children as a widower.  Add to that Murph, who is Cooper's precocious pre-teen, believe there is a ghost in her room sending messages via Morse-code and gravity.  One of these messages leads Cooper to NASA, where he is selected to pilot a mission through the wormhole, leaving behind his children with the promise of return.

Interstellar is galactic.  A thinking movie.  And though the movie comes in close to three hours, I was honestly captivated.  The scene where Cooper travels with a team through the wormhole was epic.  I'd watch the movie again just to see this scene, and I honestly wish that moment could have been in 3D.

But the movie falls apart in other ways.

A sound-score that, at moments, was too loud, clouding dialogue and not allowing our ears to "breathe."  At times there was a low base rumbling that was too much.  I did watch Interstellar at the IMAX, but the Superior sound system should have been an asset, not a deterrent.  And the music score, composed by Hans Zimmer, seems to be influenced be Phillip Glass: It made me want to go watch Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance.  The Interstellar score doesn't compare.  Phillip Glass reigns supreme.

And then the third act.

I can't even talk about the third act!  But so much weakens plot wise in this final act.  A surprise cameo that comes out of nowhere, and honestly I would have been perfectly fine without.  Completely, 100% fine.  The elements can prove just as much of an adversary then that of a villain.  Goodness, and more I can't speak of.

When my Dad and I left the theater people were talking, but not with the same enthusiasm as Inception.  They were confused.  Baffled.  "I lost it at the bookcases" one person said.

I got what was going on, but that doesn't mean I care for all the choices made plot/story/scientific wise.  Some proper character reactions missing or deflated.  Plot points without proper lead up. Etc.   

It's a movie I would watch again simply to pick apart and see if there's anything underlining I missed and was glossed over.  It's an experience movie, it makes you think, but I doubt I'll be watching this film more then a couple additional times.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some intense perilous action and brief strong language.