I N T E R S T E L L A R

A FILM BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

I had the chance to attend to the premiere of Interstellar in Paris in 70mm film (Im French so
Im already sorry if you dont understand me, but I think it will be comprehensible). In this
uncut/extended review of the latest film from Christopher Nolan, Interstellar, Ill try to be
as honest as possible about my experience. As a critic, it is likely that it contains descriptions
of scriptwriting and directing, so potential spoilers for some people, although I will not reveal
any details of the elements including twists and turns of the script that we mean by spoilers. It
is therefore preferable that you have seen the movie too, but also if youre planning to
experience it soon.
So what can I say about this movie, or rather, about this experience? Lets put things back in
their context, Interstellar was expected as a promising film and taking it to a specific fact: this
is a film by Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception), so it is
a highly anticipated film. However, this fact creates in the audience a kind of apprehension
effect of believing in advance that this film will be a great movie, because it's a film by
Christopher Nolan, and also because the marketing campaign is very effective. However, I
managed for my part, even though Im a Nolan admirer, to extract myself from this
apprehension and go see the movie with my mind detached of all my expectations. And yet,
from the beginning to the end of Interstellar, I have not managed to be disappointed for a
second. Not one, and I have my reasons. I will try to explain it to you now.
Let us quickly recall the synopsis of the film: Matthew McConaughey, obviously still
at the peak of his talent, plays Cooper, former NASA pilot who became a farmer despite
himself at a time when the Earth is painfully lacking in resources and seems to be destined to
die in his own torments ; Cooper rhymes with dreamer, and this is a man who dreams to find a
forgotten glory. However, in strange circumstances that will be explained later on in the film,
Cooper will get in touch with a fallen NASA, but working on a mission to send a group of
explorers aboard the Endurance to explore potentially habitable worlds. From hesitating
between the stars in search of a new habitable world and stay with his children, Tom and
Murphy, Cooper finally decides quite naturally to get on board, and leave his family behind,
on that poor Earth...
The film begins by establishing at his own rhythm its ambitions: men overexploited
land resources, which is why the only goal they have left is to survive. But this life is not
enough for Cooper, brilliantly played by McConaughey who gave body and soul to this
unusual character. But all of this wouldnt hold without the total control of Christopher Nolan,
based on the original and languishing soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, the luminous and
impenetrable photography of Hoyte Van Hoytema, and the sincerity of Nolans directing.
Indeed, the emotions that are passing through the characters, especially in the emotional bond
between Cooper and his daughter Murphy, are never exaggerated or present as a sort of
blockbuster necessity that Interstellar is not meant to be. These emotions are transmitted
naturally, they are never overplayed, and have a specific role in the course of the film. So I
was from my perspective transported into another perspective, Coopers perspective : when he
finally decides to go for a journey he does not know the outcome of, how Nolan manages to
film the characters and to find the right cut at the right time, always in harmony with Hans
Zimmers soundtrack, gives the film an aspiring and inspiring dimension that was missing in
hollywoodian films (and not just hollywoodian ones) for many many years. Thus we are
transported into the same cockpit that Cooper, we feel the same remorse that he can already
feel, we feel the same gravity, and we feel the same fear of the unknown melted with the force
of his will. All of this is brilliantly illustrated in a very simple directing choice, which from
my point of view is the first and decisive impetus of the film: to directly jump from when
Cooper leaves in his truck, leaving his family behind him, to when Endurance takes off. This
inspiration, this simple editing decision allows Nolan to give an original movement to his
film, and it is extremely important to notice the alliance of this scene with the musical
crescendo that makes us physically feel the sentimental break between two parts of the film,
which correspond to two portions of the life of Cooper. Symbolically, combining these two
scenes is not innocent; it will only strengthen the feelings of Cooper that he left behind him,
and that he will carry (which is why that editing choice has a purpose) in the vessel with him
to the destiny that lies above him.
Interstellar has placed its bases. It only needs to take off now. Then, the film takes us
on a journey where the future of mankind is at stake. Visually, Nolan stays true to himself,
meaning that he surpasses himself once again, a scene to another. One scene is particularly
striking, when the Endurances crew approaches Saturn. Everyone is on his side, Brand
(played by a fantastic Anne Hathaway), Romilly (David Gyasi), Doyle (Wes Bentley) and the
robot named TARS are part of the ship. And Cooper comes to Romilly, who expresses his
fear of being so close to death, his anxiety about the emptiness of space which extends to
infinity and yet is just a few inches away, behind the walls of the vessel. And Cooper answers
this to him : Most of sailors leaving alone at sea do not even know how to swim. If they fall
into the water, it's done : its over for them. Us, we are explorers. ". Following this, we listen
to the sounds of Mother Nature (thunder, wind and rain) resonating on a disproportionate
level (in the good sense) where the Endurance passes by the gigantic planet that is Saturn. I
leave you all the happiness to interpret this passage as you wish, but to me it simply means
that whatever the journey is, regardless of the distance, we always carry with us a part of what
we relate the most easily to : a home. Pushing this idea a little too much to its climax, this
would correspond to the image of a turtle : wherever she goes, she will keep its shell on its
back. But let's not go further into analogies between human and animal, it will be confusing.
The journey continues, Interstellar is not about to be end, and were glad about it. The
evidence that time is indeed relative, it is that a 2h49 boring film seems to last forever, while
an extraordinary 2h49 film seems to be too fast. But I found no reason to be disappointed at
the end of Interstellar. Every minute counts, every scene is heavy, every explanation or
reversal is crucial. Some may not enjoy the intense scientific explanations reported by the
film, but I would like to clarify this point out: the goal is not to understand what a "bulk", a
"wormhole" or "quantum data is. Firstly, the film is very understandable, you just need to
use your common sense and stay focused. But it is also interesting to come out of the theater
still asking questions to yourselves. Because questions about the scientific issues and the
elements of the film lead us to ask film-making and philosophical questions, such as : what is
it to be a human being, is there some physical limitations to our humanity, how far could we
be willing to go to determine knowledge, is there other dimensions that we can not access to,
and above all: what is the nature of this intact and immutable bond that unites us to others
wherever we are in the universe ? Is this bond only intelligible, or is it also tangible ? All
these questions resonate in harmony in Nolans Interstellar.
But a good film always needs a driving force. And here, it is the link between Cooper
and Murphy. Murphy grew up (and Jessica Chastain shines in his role) while Coop 'continues
his mission. The only thing that can be found in relation to the work of Nolan, is the
proximity with a few elements from Inceptions directing. One of these elements is the
simultaneity of two different times : time on Earth and time for Cooper in space
simultaneously, as the simultaneity of temporary differences in the levels of the same dream
in Inception. But it doesnt put a stop to the inventiveness and originality of the film.
Interstellar is itself a crescendo, increasing sensitivity and creativity. I use the term
deliberately because it goes crescendo with the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, which is one of
the most beautiful music ever scored for a sci-fi movie. We are witnessing a perfect musical
arrangement, a total symbiosis, a bit like the music of Gravity which had understood very well
how to match the image and the rhythm of a sequence to its own musicality. Zimmers
crescendos are giving a new powerful breath to every new scene, whether it is in visually
powerful & intense moments or in more intimate moments; it intrudes into our momentary
feelings and sensations, and manages to extend them, sometimes almost to choking, before
resting on the balance of the film frame along with our mind spellbounded.
I finally come to the third part of the movie, that you will easily recognize by going to
see it, as it begins when the protagonists (Coop 'and Brand) will learn something that will
change their views on the overall mission. In this third act, already heavily criticized, I have
seen all the talent of the director that I knew he was outside the norm, but whom I did not
know his capacity to reinvent itself. Because this is it: Interstellar is not an action movie, not
really a blockbuster, and it goes not entirely but mostly again the expectations of common
people who think theyll see another film by Christopher Nolan as the director of Inception
and The Dark Knight, and not as the director of his other films. It's much more than that. This
is much more than just a sci-fi movie. It is unlike any of his previous films. Some hoped to
see Interstellar as Christopher Nolans best film, and they were disappointed that this was not
the case. And indeed, THIS IS NOT THE BEST FILM of Christopher Nolan. Why ? Because
in a way, IT IS HIS FIRST FILM. I'm not saying that Interstellar is not as good as his other
films, on the contrary, it goes beyond all of them. But to me Interstellar is the first film of a
new stage in Nolans filmography ; it is a masterpiece as it the beginning of a work ahead.
Interstellar is the proof that Nolan has finally managed, despite all the expectations that were
placed on him after the success of The Dark Knight, to move away from his own reputation
(somehow without totally separating from it) to create a personal work, original, humble,
sincere and deeply, meticulously, measured. It had already happened with Inception, but it
lacked of that deep breath close to his heart, that will of making a film without any obligations
and dealing with the questions he probably asked himself watching films during his childhood
and during his life. And he just did it.
Now, in this third act of the film, it all comes to life with unparalleled strength. Nolan
poses and answers questions that raise others. But he focuses his attention on the great
mystery of love, that emotional bond that can unite men and sometimes separate them (and
this is apparently the case in the film), that can lead to hatred as to love more, to achieve the
most disproportionate madnesses ; but the strength of this film and especially in its last act is
to examine this link in unexpected places : Nolan is the only one that can successfully speak
of love from a being to another in a film that mainly takes place in a another galaxy. From my
point of view, only Solaris by Steven Soderbergh (2002), unfortunately neglected by the
audience, was able to accomplish that. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968) has
nothing to do with Interstellar, although visually, Nolan sometimes pays tribute to him. 2001
is a philosophical tale about the technique and the ratio of power between animosity and
superior intelligence, and in that way it is positioned outside of human nature. In Interstellar, a
movie much more personal in his message, is based on a premise which is the following,
which Cooper and his daughter are the interpreters : from terrestrial dust to the depths of
space and time, we can never be separated from who we are as individuals and as a species, as
we always leave a part of ourselves "behind ourselves. In other words, if I tried to summarize
what makes the heart beat of Interstellar, I could say that this is a human story, and even if we
go as far as we want to, if we travel through the universe believing that we can be detached of
the one we are fond of, we will only get closer to them. Because the separation, and thus the
distance and time, then the survival and courage, then giving up, and then hope, can only
ultimately reinforce the relationship between the people who really love each other. Because
it is going to the end of the world, when we reach the end of ourselves, at this end, that we
reach the singularity of the black hole beyond the horizon * : it is our humanity.
No, I wasnt been able to find any bad flaws in the film. Not one, and I'm still looking. After
all, Interstellar is like gravity, all it takes is a little push !

*youll have to see the movie to figure that one out.

Flix Tardieu, November 1st, 2014