Interstellar is a Sci-Fi film directed by Christopher Nolan to a script by himself and his brother, Jonathan Nolan. It features star power including Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Matt Damon and Michael Caine.
Starting with a compelling, even if not an especially novel idea, Interstellar goes at a slower than light-speed pace, from mediocre to ridiculous. At a length of 2 hours and 45 min, or over 19 years if one counts by Miller time, Miller being a planet where each hour on its surface equals seven years on Earth, it is quite tiring.
Here are some lowlights: i. Music – loud, over-used and melodramatic where no additional drama is called for. ii. Anne Hathaway – poor choice of casting. Yes, Sandra Bullock played an astronaut in Gravity; doesn't mean it is now a required role for Hollywood stars... Hathaway simply comes across as unreliable. iii. There are lots of small plot details that I didn't buy into, starting with – 'hey, we needed an astronaut right away and, how lucky are we that Matthew McConaughey, an astronaut turned farmer who hadn't been in a spaceship in years just happened to step into our secret venture and can pilot our only remaining hope for the survival of the human race' Hmmm... iv. Matthew McConaughey is actually mostly good in the leading role, though I must admit that as much as I like him, for the life of me I still cannot understand half of what he mumbles. The guy's manner of speech supersedes mine in lack of clarity, and that is no small feat. v. What else? Towards the film’s end the plot goes from fiction to fantasy to a kitschy fairytale; all that’s missing is for McConaughey to find a Sleeping Hathaway, kiss her on her red lips, and for a “Happy ever after” title to roll across the screen. Really?
Positives, and there aren’t many, include great visuals, and decent acting on behalf of some of the cast, though Nolan who, all in all, is usually a decent director, seemed to have used a heavy hand in this production.
Luckily I went to see Interstellar with very low expectations and thus wasn’t very disappointed. Save yourself 19 years and go see something else.