Interstellar

I like so many things about Interstellar that I'm quite willing to ignore or disregard the missteps. I don't care if the physics are a bit unlikely or inaccurate. I'm satisfied with the dumbing-down of some of the dialogue. Shit, I was even happy with the occasional clichéd 'cowboy' attitude of McConaughey's character. None of this bothered me at all during the film, and it's only since reading some reviews that I've come across the criticisms. In fact, the only problem I had with Interstellar was the ear-splitting volume of some of the audio (possibly a cinema issue).

So maybe I should go over some of the positives. To begin with, this film had a great feel to it. I can't put my finger on it. Maybe simply the cinematography of Hoyte Van Hoytema was key. Maybe because it recalled some old sci-fi that I'm partial to (Star Trek, 2001, Silent Running, Hitchhiker's Guide, etc). Maybe the throwback music of Hans Zimmer. Not many films can manufacture a good feel, but I reckon this succeeds.

I loved the hinted dystopian future set up here. Dusty, blight-threatened corn fields, technology in retreat, memories of 'food wars' past. It's a cool stepping-off point. And that fucking dust almost made me reach for my Hello Kitty mask. Dead amazeballs.

The performances were mostly fine. One or two of the 'minor' astronauts came across a bit 1970s but that added to the odd, 'going backwardly forwards' mood of the film. I thought the stand-outs were Mackenzie Foy (as the young Murphy Cooper) and Bill Irwin (as the voice of the robot TARS). The robots got the majority of the funny lines too.

I also like the fact that multiple readings can be made of the guts of this film. I'm not about to go into it as it would spoil the broth. That and my head hurts when I think too deeply about it. But though it's very Nolanesque to offer a quandary, Interstellar isn't as complex as Inception or Memento. It even takes pains to simplify the science somewhat (McConaughey actually flips over a monitor in a spaceship to draw a black hole and some squiggles on a whiteboard!).

Finally, the essence of this film is the father-daughter relationship shared by McConaughey's character, Coop and Mackenzie Foy and Jessica Chastain's Murph. The early scenes are really well played and the emotional wrench of Coop's decision is a solid solar-plexus punch. Maybe I wouldn't have been affected as much if I'd seen this film before my daughter was born but it certainly pushed the right (wrong?) buttons. Another Nolan winner. It might be brilliant.





(NB. I'm not really partial to Silent Running. I think it's pretty boring actually but it did pop into my mind, especially regarding the robots)