The Epitome of Sci-Fi and a Masterpiece of the Film Industry

Rating: 8/10 (11 January 2015)

Before I begin my review, I'd like to say that while I admire Nolan's talent, do I believe his excellence is somewhat over-hyped. Inception, while good in its own right, was extremely overrated and had some flaws. The Dark Knight Rises, being his worst movie, seriously dragged down the Dark Knight trilogy. Coming into this movie, however, I came in expecting a good experience. I had heard all the reviews, good and bad, and came in clean. I came out utterly blown away, and mesmerized by what should be considered Nolan's best work.
Now to start: I've seen some good sci-fi out there, whether 2001 or Star Trek, and I had enjoyed them for very different reasons. Interstellar takes the best of both and molds them into a truly beautiful movie.
It starts off in what seems to be a second Dust Bowl, where crops are slowly dying and folks are barely scrapping a living. Cooper, a pilot and engineer who had never gotten the chance to go to space, is now living a shadow of his life as a farmer, taking care of his kids in a world where food is scarce and governments have all but collapsed due to global starvation. The setting alone brought me in, and kept me throughout the entirety of the movie.
I won't reveal anything after this point, but I will say the movie truly delivers in all aspects, aesthetically and emotionally. Nolan, who is known for being a "cold" and distant director, creates a movie that would make a lot of people cry at the end.
One of the biggest hypes for this movie was that it was to be the most scientifically accurate sci fi out there. And for being a movie, it sure didn't disappoint. Though it does exaggerate some instances of time dilation and gravity somewhat, it can be forgiven since the realistic counterparts might not have been as dramatic as Nolan wanted it to be. The design of the ship, the endurance, resembles what NASA expects their Mars vessel to appear like, and becomes an Ark for which the travelers explore the universe.
Soundwise, it was overall good. Hans Zimmer delivers his finest piece yet in some truly haunting yet glorious music that captures the feeling of the movie. And though I enjoyed how the music blasted out the dialogue, the parts where it didn't is what needed work. This is arguably the movie's only flaw, as some lines were garbled and were hard to make out. Regardless, the dialogue flaws were overshadowed. Hopefully the close captions on blu-ray will fix these issues.
The true star of the movie, though, is not the science, it's the storytelling and plot. Rarely has sci-fi ever given me as many chills as Interstellar has, but boy does it do that and more. There are scenes where you will be on the edge of your seat, totally immersed in an intense and vibrating moment. Plotwise, it's arguably the most human story I've ever encountered, one about family and parental love that Spielberg could only aspire to. The actors and characters complement this well, as Matthew McConaughey once again wows the crowd alongside both is his daughter Murphy Cooper played by Mackenzie Foy and her adult counterpart portrayed by Jessica Chastain. Another pleasant surprise is another actor whom delivers his finest performance yet and steals the show for the 20 minutes he is on. Though it may not win Oscars for acting since Hollywood generally doesn't like sci fi, all four of these actors are worthy.
Overall: This movie surpassed my expectations and more, cracking my list for the top 5 movies ever made. Is it perfect? No, but then really is any movie perfect? What I don't get is all the hate that's been generated across the Internet, and makes me think a lot of people need to watch this movie again. If you didn't like it, that's you right, but I for one thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Nolan is an excellent director, and before this his best movie was the Dark Knight. Now he has this movie, which is the crowning jewel of his directing career.
Another great part is the fact that this movie inspires me to do more, and contradicts all the dark and gloomy sci fi that's we've seen recently. Instead of focusing on the faults of humanity, it focuses on the best of us, and that's what solidifies this movie's wonder.
Go watch this movie folks, watch with an open mind. Be aware that you will not catch everything the first time, and that's OK. Because great movies provide reason to watch it again, and finding new things about a movie you didn't know is just as awesome.
Final score: 10/10; right up there with the best of them