Worth seeing for sci-fi fans

Rating: 7/10 (10 November 2014)

I consider myself a sci-fi fan. This film had pleasant and unpleasant surprises. For one, the fairly-well established backstory seems to indicate this film is set some time in the future. The set, however, is remarkably devoid of any futuristic devices and improvements at all. A farmhouse from 1975. A Dodge Ram from 2000, and a NASA spaceship from way in the future?? Everything on the set is from present day, every car, building, laptop, and with the amount of books in Murph's bedroom the set almost seems to be from the past. I mean what kid has any books today, much less in the future? This kid has a library in her room. That disparity was a bit of a disappointment. Pleasant surprises included the cast for me as I had no idea Michael Caine or Matt Damon were even in the cast. This is EASILY McConaughey's best work and the only other work he's done I enjoyed as much as this was A Time to Kill. There is a scene with Matt Damon that absolutely scared the poop out of me and everyone in the theater. Fantastic production with no expense spared. And other than the "threat to the planet" theme and absolutely, shamelessly STEALING a scene directly out of Event Horizon, this film scores good originality points (although I think I've seen a Twilight Zone with a similar theme) Last unpleasant surprises include Anne Hathaway and her acting. She has the acting depth of Daphne from Scooby-Doo and I dread seeing her cast in anything. Overall there is just too much overall in this movie. Its like Indiana Jones meets Star Trek as the protagonist overcomes insurmountable challenges too often and too frequently. The soundtrack is loud enough to wake the dead and that always seems to be a crutch to give impact to weak scenes. It's not needed, the scenes are not weak. They are intense, often too frequently, and the loud sound is unnecessary and undesirable. The resolution is original, but VERY unbelievable unless you're 9 years old. It REALLY puts the FICTION in science fiction, which was disappointing since the gravity of the problems on Earth and the moral and ethical questions pondered in the film would be lost on a 9 year old - so why the Saturday morning cartoon ending? If you're going to make a film for adults, please make the entire film, including the resolution for adults. I can handle it I promise. Lastly, there is a bit of the ADD scene hopping I first noticed in Oculus. Just stop. Stop doing that forever. The flashing back and forth between a farm and another galaxy with the speed of a music video only insults me as you clumsily attempt to beat me (your viewer) over the head with your sledgehammer of juxtaposition. Please stop making films for morons. If they can't figure it out, they'll never miss it, but its getting borderline offensive for normal IQ patrons. For all these reasons I gave this movie a 7. MY GF is not a sci-fi fan and did not like it. I better qualify that as a 7 for sci-fi fans only!