A Review of ‘INTERSTELLAR;’ or, ‘Why it’s Alright to Fall in Love with an Imperfect Film’

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Our time on Earth is coming to an end.

The planet’s resources have gone scarce, and what’s left of humanity are forced to struggle to survive — with the knowledge that this world is fast approaching a time when it will no longer be able to sustain life.
A team led by former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) embarks on one of the most important missions in human history – an exploration into the unknown, beyond our galaxy in search of a planet where humanity can start over.

It’s complex and it’s mind-numbing. But Interstellar is an incredible emotional journey through space and time.

Much has been made about the so-called “plot holes” and “scientific inaccuracies” throughout the film… I don’t really see the problems.
Sure, Interstellar is not a perfect film.
But if you’re too busy focusing on the physics of black holes rather than the emotional bond between this father and his daughter, then you missed the entire point of the movie.

Interstellar is a riveting, ambitious, tense, thrilling and heart-wrenching adventure that tackles a number of storytelling elements never really explored on film before.

It’s encouraging that Hollywood hasn’t degenerated so much that we can still witness bold, audacious storytellers like Christopher Nolan willing to stretch themselves creatively and go for broke, trying new things on a big scale. Art only has the potential to be great when it is taking risks.
And even though risks don’t always pan out, I’d much rather watch failed ambitious, creative risks than some caped superhero trying to rescue a space orb from a stock baddie for the 38^th time.

And even though a number of Interstellar‘s risks don’t pan out, the majority of them do.

I’ve noticed a trend among so-called “film aficionados” and “film buffs” to scoff and sneer in Interstellar’s direction…
Really?
Get off your high horses.
Stop feeding into the cynicism that plagues our generation. I dare you to tell a story more powerful, more inventive, and more moving than Interstellar.

Yes, it’s obvious that we are not a people who live within five dimensions. And love most surely doesn’t make it possible for us to physically transcend time and space. Yet, within the world of Interstellar, these things are true.

What’s the big deal?
I’m also fairly sure “the force” doesn’t really exist, and that some of us aren’t born with midi-chlorians in our blood streams. Yet, within the world of Star Wars, we accept that reality.
What’s the difference?
Interstellar throws characters into its fictionalized world and forces them to deal with very human problems, like fatherhood, duty, and abandonment. Much like we still relate to the characters of Star Wars, through all the lightsaber battles and space races, because they are dealing with universal struggles of temptation, fate, and belonging.

Who would’a thought?… Fiction in a science-“fiction” movie!
Criminal!

The Fault in its Stars

The obvious comparison to Interstellar is last year’s successful and widely-adored Gravity.
Well, Interstellar isn’t as great as Gravity.
(And Warren Buffet isn’t as rich as Bill Gates, either.)

Interstellar has its problems. The film’s logic is stretched a number of times, and a few confusing storytelling decisions are made.

The inter-cuts between Cooper in space and his family back on earth can be jarring and slow down the momentum, and the entire sequence on the ice planet with Dr. Mann is overlong and borderline unnecessary — even though it provides good drama and a jolt of tension.

Even more confusing is the fact that Michael Caine’s character doesn’t appear to age at all over three decades, as well as the question of why “they” (i.e. “us”) put the black hole so far away from earth in the first place?

And even though I still believe the film was an incredible ride, that finale still seemed out of place and slightly unsatisfying. The whole emotional crux of the film has been Cooper’s attempt to get back to his daughter Murph on earth… and the film decides to end on a shortened reunion where she’s a century old and basically rushes him out of the room…?

Of course, I’m not the storyteller of Interstellar. But how much more emotional and powerful would it have been — and just as easy — to structure the story in such a way that Cooper’s journey had only lasted 20-30 earth-years instead of 100, allowing him to reconnect with his daughter once she had reached the same age as him?
Imagine how beautiful and dramatic that reunion would have been — Cooper’s been gone for what’s only felt like a few days, but now his little girl’s grown up and experienced just as much life as he has. And they both would still have the rest of their lives ahead of them.

“Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night”

For whatever problems it may have, it cannot be denied how incredible of a trip Interstellar is. The pace is gripping, the performances are stellar, the musical score is pulse-pounding, and the action sequences are riveting. It reawakens a spirit of exploration and attempts to wrestle with a number of weighty ideas.

And yet, for how big and expansive its scope, it’s really just a simple story about a father and his daughter, told with its heart on its sleeve.

Are we that spoiled that we now complain about such cinematic gifts as Interstellar because they dare to try something new, take risks, and perhaps fail to stick the landing in a few minor respects?
It may not be perfect, but Nolan’s newest film is exactly the type of fun, bold entertainment I’ll passionately cheer on in an age of unwanted sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes. Interstellar is a thought-provoking, visually dazzling, grandiose, challenging, and creative film from one of the world’s most ambitious storytellers.