A terrific addition to the science-fiction genre

Rating: 9/10 (11 November 2014)

Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" is arguably his most ambitious film yet, traveling beyond the relatively grounded settings of his Earth-based productions for a film of much more galactic proportions. The result is probably not his best film, but still an immensely impressive sci-fi production that will likely stand the test of time to be included as a solid example of the genre.
The film follows the crew of the Endurance as they attempt to find a habitable planet to replace a gradually dying terra firma. Incorporated into this include wormholes, black holes, time dilation and extra-dimensional beings.
Stylistically and structurally, the film is similar to "2001: A Space Odyssey", but also appears to draw inspiration from various other sci-fi classics such as "Contact" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Unlike other modern sci-fi productions that seem to consist largely of unsubtle, action-oriented alien invasion flicks, "Interstellar" goes for a much more minimalist, slowly-paced approach, in accordance with its above-mentioned inspirations. The result is a film that is much more cerebral and emotionally-balanced, as is to be expected from Nolan.
Matthew McConaughey delivers the role of Cooper without fault, effortlessly portraying a man who is forced to leave his young family behind, a period which becomes decades on Earth. This inner turmoil grows gradually across the narrative. Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain also have their moments, but a lot of the cast exist largely as plot functions, their dialogue consisting predominantly of exposition. This is naturally expected though, for a film of this scope. A certain A-list actor appears roughly halfway through the film as well, and is also an unexpected highlight.
As with other Nolan films, the score provided by Hans Zimmer, as well as the impressive visuals and cinematography flawlessly compliment each other, building up gently before reaching a grand crescendo in the film's metaphysical climax. Zimmer appears to go for a more lighter score this time around, as opposed to the intense, bass-driven soundtracks of 'The Dark Knight' and 'Inception', which ultimately works well with the film's melancholy atmosphere.
The film's third act introduces a lot of plot twists and turns, which inevitably requires some suspension of disbelief. The laws of physics, time and space are bent to their limitations, which may be intimidating and overwhelming for some audiences but never failed to impress me and others due to the sheer scope and imagination of the final sequences' architects.
'Interstellar' is a mind-bending journey into the far reaches of the universe, as well as an emotional expose of the lengths the human race is capable of going to in order to ensure its survival. Though perhaps relying too much on previous sci-fi classics, particularly in its final act, it doesn't exactly reach the heights of some of Nolan's previous films. This isn't saying much however. The film's ambition and concept, its cast, visuals and score all will inevitably ensure that 'Interstellar' stands out in a wave of mediocre modern science fiction films, as well as all sci-fi films in general.