Interstellar Goes Above and Beyond

Despite the positive reviews, I was skeptical walking into “Interstellar.” I couldn’t imagine sitting through a three hour movie without feeling like it droned on and on. Almost every single movie I have ever seen that surpasses two-and-a-half hours, no matter how critically acclaimed or action-packed, always left me with the thought “Is this over yet?” and I didn’t think “Interstellar” would be an exception.

I settled into my seat, slightly bitter about spending three hours of my day off inside a dark movie theatre. Little did I know, I would leave thinking only about the vastness of space and time.

“Interstellar” takes place on Earth in the near future. The planet is quickly running out of resources and it’s only a matter of years before Earth will become completely uninhabitable. Dust storms rivaling the Dust Bowl from the 1930’s plague farmers and their crops. Long gone is the generation of entrepreneurship and social media. Technology is plentiful and advanced, but no one can stop the impending end of the Earth.

NASA Pilot and engineer-turned-farmer Joseph A. Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), lives with his teenage son Tom (Timothée Chalamet), 10-year-old daughter Murph (Mackenzie Foy), and father-in-law Donald (John Lithgow). He is called upon by NASA to travel into space, accompanied by Brand (Anne Hathaway). The only reason this trip is possible is because of the discovery of a wormhole that orbits Saturn. The wormhole allows them to make the thousand-year-long journey in just two years.

The trip to the distant planets is the last possible effort to save mankind. The risks are high, and because of the time lapse in space, Cooper could return to Earth and everyone on the planet be extinct, including his children. If he ever returns at all.

The movie follows one singular plot from two views. It follows Cooper and his comrades in space, fighting against time. Then it switches to his family growing up and living on a starving planet, falling apart before their eyes.

One of the most impressive aspects about “Interstellar” was the realistic portrayal of a rather far-fetched plot. It is captivating because it makes you wonder if this is the future we are making for ourselves. It took real problems like hunger, deforestation and over-population and made them the antagonist of the movie. It was terrifying how realistic this future Earth’s problems were.

Not only did it have one of the most realistic science fiction plots I have ever seen, but the movie really did hold my attention — the entire time. And it did so in a way that wasn’t bombarding me with far-fetched plot twists or overwhelming action scenes.

The emotional connection I had with the characters also made me want to keep watching. It takes great acting to get a viewer to feel a character’s emotions and the entire cast of “Interstellar” manages to do that.

Matthew McConaughey plays Cooper and does an exceptional job making you fall in love with him as a fearless hero and loving dad. The entire movie, the viewer sits in fear, worrying he will not surviving his mission and never see his family again.

Murph, as young girl, is played by Mackenzie Foy. Foy portrays Murph perfectly as the daddy’s-girl, tom-boy she is. As the movie progresses, Murph, as an adult, is played by Jessica Chastain. Chastain makes you directly feel Murph’s pain of being abandoned by her father and living in a hopeless situation.

Anne Hathaway plays Cooper’s partner and, as expected, plays her beautifully. She shows how difficult it can be to choose between what your heart wants, and what is best for everyone.

“Interstellar” goes above and beyond on everything. It is an exceptionally filmed movie without a dull moment, despite its lengthy time. If you have the time, “Interstellar” is definitely worth it; I guarantee you will not be disappointed. If anything you will leave determined to build a spaceship ready to leave your friends and family behind for the sake of all mankind.