Where physics takes a death spiral through a giant narrative blackhole

Rating: 4/10 (5 August 2017)

If you deplore negative reviews of movies featuring your favorite director or actor, read no further.
Okay, then ... I like science-fiction stories and movies, provided they both stick to the categorical facts and maxims of physics and quantum mechanics. Kubrick's masterpiece, 2001:A Space Odyssey (1967), in the main, is the quintessential example which sticks to those requirements. But if a story, such as this Interstellar, allows itself to fall into outrageous speculation, then it's not science: it's simple fantasy. Hence, in this movie, fiction is truly stranger than basic truth. Although it does have it's interesting moments....
For example, the settings and special effects are simply outstanding; the artwork and CGI are also standout features. The acting, at times, is excellent, especially from McConaughey, Hathaway and Chastain. The supporting cast is generally up to par; and it was a pleasant surprise to briefly see William Devane once again - as an aging nasty, again. The best actors, for my money though, are the robots: TARS and the sort-of-eponymous CASE - both not only highly innovative and imaginative in form and behaviour, but also the best humour in the whole movie (of which there is very little).
Regarding the physics aspect, the one thing the writers almost got right (about relativity and time dilation) was a well presented and excellent visual statement when Cooper (McConaughey) finally meets his grown-up daughter, Murph (Chastain). However, the remainder of the dialogue centering upon space travel, worm holes, black holes, gravity, time travel and so on is just full of ... well, holes. And, downright misinformation. Aaah, but it all sounds so cool....
While I fully understand why it has a high (but undeserved) score, other inferior movies - The Abyss (1989), Close Encounters (1977), Titanic (1997) - achieve similar levels of approval. Still, this story is well structured without being unduly confusing. Direction, photography and editing are well up to Nolan standard of excellence, as you would expect. The sound track, however, is a tad loud for my liking; and, overall, the pacing is too slow and the overall length too long.
Finally, as to the story itself - our dying planet, our need to survive, what can we do? - well, it's topical, important and now, an increasingly urgent issue. But this movie, deliberately or unintentionally, subverts viewers with its blatantly, saccharine banality that: Love conquers all. Meh!
To nail things in perspective, this is not nearly as entertaining or imaginative as Inception, even though that one also classed itself wrongly as sci-fi. Overall, Interstellar is a movie only worth seeing if you have around three hours you don't mind using up, for better or worse. Give it four out of ten. Barely.
August 5, 2017
Copyright Â© 2017, Roger J Burke. All rights reserved.