On October 26, movie theaters inaugurated 2014’s most anticipated movie , Hollywood’s science-fiction blockbuster, Interstellar.
According to the box office, the movie’s estimated budget is 165 million. The story is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, directed by Christopher Nolan; starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine.
The story is about the end of the world as we know it after life becomes impossible on Earth. Even though this particular message may have been dealt with in previous movies such as” I am A Legend”, the exceptional directing together with the well written plot rich in detailed scientific information as well as human emotional experience, made Interstellar an incomparable movie.
The film portrays Matthew McConaughey ( Cooper), as a widowed farmer, who lives in the near future with his children and his father in law, (John Lithgow), where tremendous dust storms take place wiping out the world ‘s crops and leaving Earth threatened by famine and extinction.
Cooper, an ex- NASA test pilot, is constantly thinking about Earth’s conditions, stars and space. He accidently discovers that NASA has been secretly working on a space program that did actually locate a wormhole, near Saturn, leading to another habitable planet that can save mankind.
Cooper, was assigned by NASA’s top expert Michael Caine), to pilot the mission to the wormhole.
At this point, the emotional dilemma of the protagonist starts, he’s torn apart between his family and his duty to save mankind.
The emotional dilemma is represented within the plot, through several master scenes by McConaughey. It starts with Cooper telling his 10 year old daughter, who is extremely attached to him, that he is leaving on a mission to save mankind. He describes the complexity of being away for many years, by clarifying that the day he gets back; they might actually be the same age.
Cooper eventually goes on the mission which is significantly depicted using several physical props and sets, as well as selected shooting locations. The brilliance of many scenes is heightened by Hans Zimmer’s music, which gives might particularly to the space expedition scenes.
It’s important to note that even the space mission scenes imply highly emotionally engaging messages reminding the audience of the intense dilemma Cooper is going through, especially after watching a video message sent by his son, who has actually become almost his own age!
McConaughey’s genius performance, with his tearful eyes and shivering lips, at this particular master scene leads the audience to the climax of the emotional dilemma of the protagonist. This scene leaves the audience emotionally engaged in a film that’s initially about space expeditions and this is absolutely brilliant! The use of such scenes does break the dryness of the pure scientific nature of the movie.
The end of the movie resolves the conflict between the emotional dilemma and the duty, the two main tracks battling since the very beginning of the movie.
Upon Cooper’s return from the expedition aged almost 124 years, he reunites with his daughter who physically became older than him. Another emotionally engaging scene is delivered here.
As for the final scene, he leaves again to rescue one of the spacecraft’s crew who may be stranded on another plant, (Anne Hathaway). . The message is that scientists will never stop exploring, even if the duty was accomplished and mankind was rescued!
Interstellar… a must see movie.