Space, time, gravity, dimensions and reality. What are these things? Some have properties that are defined as fact, others mere theory. In director Christopher Nolan’s ninth feature film ‘Interstellar’, he address all of these aspects in a ballad that will be remembered as one of the greatest achievements in film history.

The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Wes Bentley and Michael Caine. This science fiction epic is about mankind finding a new home and the exploration of interstellar (black hole) travel based on the theories of physicist Kip Thorne.

With a star-studded cast, there was little doubt that the acting would be phenomenal. Each actor filled the role to perfection, embodying the character and creating a persona that audience members can relate to. Christopher Nolan and his brother, Jonathan, wrote the script in cooperation with Thorne for scientific accuracy. The story is not only interesting; but smart, dramatic, funny, mind boggling and most of all–unprecedented.

Looking up at the stars has always been a wonder of man because of its natural and unknown beauty. This beauty was captured by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema. Watching it in IMAX, it was easily the most amazing and immersive spectacle to be experienced. Nolan and Hoytema were able to create magnificent worlds, with computers and set designs, and ground them to reality in a perfect blend. Adding to the experience was the meticulously placed music. The films original score was composed by none other than Hans Zimmer. Zimmer has worked with Nolan on such films as Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and The Prestige. As the film is in space, the score creeps in a cosmic wonder, adding a sense of liveliness.

Interstellar is absolutely prodigious, and the technical aspect should not be over looked. As a director that strives for perfection and accuracy, Nolan took every step he could to make the film as realistic yet innovative as possible. From working with a physicist and  actually finding new theories about black hole phenomenons to having computer-generated screens projected for the actors to interact with the environment, Nolan did everything he could to make the film as smart as possible. All these minute details separate a “good” film from a “great” one.

Running a little over 2 hours and 30 minutes, time can seem like a fault, yet Nolan uses it to his advantage. Narratively, the film has a lot to cover. Most directors would just cut the expositional dialogue and scenes to bring down run time, yet Nolan uses editing to his advantage. For some people these scenes would be plot holes, but as a smart director who doesn’t treat the audience as a dumb dollar sign (I’m looking at you Michael Bay), Nolan understands the viewer is smart enough to understand what is going on without wasting screen time. Although the film may seem long, an intense story keeps you wanting more.

The purpose of film is to immerse us into a cinematic world – or worlds in this case – and to escape reality for a short time to enjoy the beauty that is Hollywood magic. In current pop-culture, where there is always a tent-pole blockbuster coming out, few movies per year are released that have good underlying themes and revolutionize the film industry. Nolan, with his visionary film making, has changed the game. He has created not only a submerssive world, but an entertainment experience that every movie watcher has wished for.

Final Verdict: 9.8/10