So here we are again.
Ever since walking out of the cinema in '08 it's been a blast, a milestone, and a high-point going to see a Nolan film at the cinema. It's a big moment. It's a feeling of excitement, joy, community. When the logo appears, the lights go off and everyone goes quiet... that's when you know you're where you belong. It's a feeling I know Chris himself loves and works so hard for.
First thing that hit me walking home was just how hard it is to judge Interstellar. I totally see why it has divided people. There's just so much things in this film. It's Nolan's most risky movie isn't it?
The visuals are timeless. Those are images that won't age a day. The scenes he pulls off in this one, I had to look at other people's reactions to see and they were all awe-struck, are just so incredible amazing. These are scenes that will inspire young people to get into filmmaking. It's so technically splendid and perfect that you just have to bite your tongue. Technically, surely, these images in this film will be remembered as "2001", "Blade Runner" and "Alien" are remembered and that is not a hyperbole.
Story-wise. Now that's where we get to the big divide. A lot of science talk going around during these 169 min. It's really hard to know how to judge it all. When dealing with wormholes and such, I suppose it's hard to make something logical out of it and won't have some people shrugging. My first thoughts are that this is Nolan's weakest script together with "Rises". You know, as trippy as it got during the end, my first thoughts are that it doesn't hold and that it lingers sometimes too much on emotions and far-fetched hooks. The end scenes and twists, I felt, did not perhaps work.
Some of the first scenes too felt a bit off and lingered on old classic tropes and emotions. Nolan's use of Zimmer's music during the beginning chase is in my opinion one example of his way of overusing his music. All-in all, it feels like this had both some of the lowest points and highest point of Nolan's filmography. Sometimes it felt like I was going to cringe but then in the next scene he awed me again.
Acting was solid as always. Mcconaughey though gave to me a surprisingly good performance. Not because I doubt him, but because I expected a solid performance like DiCaprio in Inception. But he was really more than that. I thought he carried the movie in a different way than Leo did. He was amazing. Young Murph was also very good. And the cameo in the middle of movie was incredible fun. For some reason I went in expecting him to play the voice of TARS.
But really, I was swept away by the sheer force and energy and love for filmmaking behind the camera in this. I don't think Nolan's magic is behind the typewriter anymore. But the magic behind the camera is just f-cking amazing. The things he pulls off.... the docking scene had my heart pumping and just sent chills down my spine. It was an operatic and amazing moment that not many others can achieve in this day and age. Pure cinema. There's a lot of those moments in this. I understand why people don't buy this movie, it will be interesting to see how it holds up on other viewings, but after this first viewing in cinema, I just have to applaud this team who gave everything they had for this movie.
8/10