Interstellar sees retired pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) depart on a desperate mission to save what is left of mankind. With an intrepid group of space explorers in tow (including previous Nolan collaborator Anne Hathaway), Cooper is forced to leave his children behind on a dying Earth and search for new life among the stars, by way of a newly discovered wormhole. From acclaimed director Christopher Nolan,sees retired pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) depart on a desperate mission to save what is left of mankind. With an intrepid group of space explorers in tow (including previous Nolan collaborator Anne Hathaway), Cooper is forced to leave his children behind on a dying Earth and search for new life among the stars, by way of a newly discovered wormhole.





Interstellar proves once and for all that this is nonsense: the central performances from Matthew McConaughey and Mackenzie Foy as his daughter Murph are powerhouses of emotion, and I’ll let my tear-stained face attest to that. Usual Nolanites Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine put in fine turns, but annoyingly the most surprising and interesting performance I can’t actually talk about because of (very complex) plot reasons. In the past, despite his many technological or visual achievements, Nolan has often been criticised for a lack of emotion in his movies, andproves once and for all that this is nonsense: the central performances from Matthew McConaughey and Mackenzie Foy as his daughter Murph are powerhouses of emotion, and I’ll let my tear-stained face attest to that. Usual Nolanites Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine put in fine turns, but annoyingly the most surprising and interesting performance I can’t actually talk about because of (very complex) plot reasons.









Without the guiding hand of usual cinematographer Wally Pfister and with a heavier reliance on digital effects than most of his back catalogue, Nolan has somehow managed to pull of the most visually awe-inspiring film since Gravity. Hoyte Van Hoytema perfectly captures the grounded, dust-caked world of Earth whilst the injection of CGI is blended seamlessly with the physical locations and sets. There is considerable debt owed to 2001: A Space Odyssey, but the coldness many find in Kubrick is refuted by the aforementioned performances.





Interstellar I was slightly concerned as to what direction he’d take the piece, and whether his goldmine of composition would finally run dry: I needn’t have worried for a second, because the film contains his finest work. The bombast of Man of Steel and the honking of Inception is thrown away and replaced with an ethereal, pulsing soundtrack that is based on an incredibly simple two-note foundation but grows to encompass the galaxy-spanning journey of the film. Composer Hans Zimmer has been scoring movies for over twenty years, and going intoI was slightly concerned as to what direction he’d take the piece, and whether his goldmine of composition would finally run dry: I needn’t have worried for a second, because the film contains his finest work. The bombast ofand the honking ofis thrown away and replaced with an ethereal, pulsing soundtrack that is based on an incredibly simple two-note foundation but grows to encompass the galaxy-spanning journey of the film.





At its heart, the film looks like a high-concept genre picture but expands into something much more, taking on philosophy, theoretical science and morality and emerging not only unscathed but triumphant. The nearly three-hour running time gives the story time to introduce these complex issues and trusts that they will take hold and develop within the audience without feeling long or languorous at all. It is completely unafraid to challenge the audience and even Nolan’s staunchest critics have to accept this.





Interstellar is an incredible experience, marrying the visual ballet of Kubrick with the tangible reality of the original Star Wars and the heart of Spielberg. If we strip away the stunning visuals, expertly-woven plot and the entrancing soundscape, we are left with the heart-rending story of a father and daughter torn apart by space and time but whose love transcends both. Only one question remains: where can Nolan go from here? is an incredible experience, marrying the visual ballet of Kubrick with the tangible reality of the originaland the heart of Spielberg. If we strip away the stunning visuals, expertly-woven plot and the entrancing soundscape, we are left with the heart-rending story of a father and daughter torn apart by space and time but whose love transcends both. Only one question remains: where can Nolan go from here?





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