Nolan's metaphysical space movie is visually stunning but obviously takes inspiration from peers

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2015)

Christopher Nolan's Interstellar takes inspiration from its science fiction peers and predecessors for a truly captivating story of survival.
Set in the not-so-distant future, Interstellar tells of an Earth with increasingly scarce and depleted resources and humanity on the brink of potential extinction.
The human race faces certain death as the land and planet they have called home is racked with drought, famine and an unstable climate. What follows is the common tale of survival as scientists and astronauts must look across the universe to an alternative planet that has the potential to sustain life. A crew of four manning the Endurance must venture off into space, across time and through wormholes. Interstellar is not just an exciting adventure but a metaphysical exploration of love, science and the human condition.
If you've ever seen a science fiction film that delve into the ideas of time and space travel then the plot of Interstellar will be exceedingly familiar and, at times, unoriginal and predictable. This is not to say that the film is unoriginal; as it is innovative, thoughtful and the visuals are spectacular. The material from which Christopher and Jonathan Nolan take inspiration for their film is so conspicuous that it is clear that Interstellar is paying homage to its predecessors. Anyone who has seen a science fiction film over the past twenty years should be able to discern the themes within Christopher and Jonathan Nolan's film and deduce the 'twists', plot progression and even ultimate outcome of the film. With that one flaw aside, Interstellar is an exceptional movie that earns distinction amongst the greats of the sci-fi sub genre.
There is so much good to be said of Interstellar that it is difficult to know where to begin. Most striking, distinct and resonating are the mind-blowing visuals and powerful score. Within Interstellar there's extremely dense material regarding physics, relativity and quantum mechanics, of which the Nolans make approachable and understandable for a wide audience. Further, to the undiscerning viewer it appears that Nolan takes no creative liberties when translating these ideas into awe-inspiring visuals. And then there is the masterful score by Hans Zimmer. Gone is the subtlety of nuanced and understated sound to complement the scene and instead Zimmer's score is an integral aspect of the action.
Interstellar is a long film that stretches over 160 minutes, and in these one hundred and sixty minutes there are multiple moments in the film that had served as the conclusion in previous space films. And yet Nolan's Interstellar surpasses these plot points and surges forward to a hopefully cathartic and resolving conclusion.
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