Interstellar: stellar or stale?

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Hanrin Cho, Business Manager

Rating: 4.5/5

Taking place in a society wrecked by the second Dust Bowl and global crop failure, verging towards the edge of an apocalypse, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar features Matthew McConaughey as Cooper, a family-based farmer, who has given up on his ambitions as a pilot for the greater good.

In 2010, Nolan released Inception, a movie that was based on varying levels  dreaming consciousness- compelling, but ultimately meaningless. Interstellar, which developed from the material in Inception, is more of an epic, a grand story

The film’s combination of glorified technology and suspicion of the future made many compare it to the Space Odyssey (2001), and there are many similarities between the two movies.

A brilliant physician, Professor Brand (Michael Caine), urges Cooper to leave behind his two children and join a mission to travel through a wormhole to find a viable planet where humans can resettle. Joined by Professor Brand’s daughter, Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway), the two and their crew embark on a journey where they are met with

Matthew McConaughey stars as Cooper in the movie "Interstellar", struggling to pilot an aircraft as he encounters a black hole. Cooper and his crew embark on a mission hopes of finding a planet that humans can re-settle on.
Matthew McConaughey stars as Cooper in the movie “Interstellar”, struggling to pilot an aircraft as he encounters a black hole. Cooper and his crew embark on a mission hopes of finding a planet that humans can re-settle on.

With a cast that includes award-winning actors such as Jessica Chastain, Casey Affleck, and Matt Damon, the interaction between the characters is both believable and intriguing. McConaughey portrays Cooper as a man who is both likable and philosophical, with the same finesse that he used in True Detective.

The special effects are astounding, both visually and audibly. And since Nolan brought in a genuine theoretical physicist to perfect the movie, it makes complete sense. When Amelia is nearly drowned by enormous waves, the audience is clinging to the edge of their seat to see if she’ll make it. When Cooper’s spacecraft is torn apart in the black hole, it genuinely feels like the movie theater is being held by a thread as well.

After this 3-hour sci-fi extravaganza, I stumbled out of the movie theater and said it was “too bright” even though it was at night. I walked into walls. I thought I walked into walls, but didn’t. It actually took me a week to write this review because I kept on thinking about the movie instead of writing about it (or maybe I was just procrastinating).

     The abstractness of theoretical physics and emotional aspect of human depth and personal sacrifice makes Interstellar a compelling movie, but also one that is overwhelming. While Nolan’s other films such as Inception and The Dark Knight have a storyline that is both interesting and easy to follow, Interstellar ‘s brainy nature lacks the casual nature  that would appeal to the masses. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a film that brings something original and new, this movie may just be what you’re looking for.