by Sojourner McKenzie
A lot of the film relies on your belief that at any point Jake Gyllanhaal may snap and kill someone with his bare hands. As man who takes photographs of horrific crimes for a living, skeletal Gyllenhaal carries the film in the best way possible. He keeps affirming his life position, and speaks as if he were in a boardroom, but with this undercurrent of discomfort, that kept me hooked throughout. It is a story about the depths to which he will sink in order to be considered successful.
It is apt that a film about an artist is shot to look like moving paintings. However because of the titular character, played by Timothy Spall, who grunts, mumbles and snorts his way through the film that I completely forgot the about the stillness of the camera. I mean this as a compliment. As the film goes on, Spall conveys an animalistic nature of an artist who discards rules altogether by spitting on his canvas. I found it a deeply moving film that examined the notion of artistry, and how that gets tangled with money and fame.
The world is dying and it is up to Matthew McConaughey to go to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, to find a new home for mankind. In typical Christopher Nolan fashion, the film begins with a bookshelf. This image only has narrative significance at the end of the film, when all the puzzle pieces are in place.
What becomes apparent about this film is its grounding in reality. The final act of the film is made more digestible with the vast amounts of real science surrounding it.
At more than three hours long, the film romps through, and kept me with it, even when casting choices took me completely out of the film. It is not a spoiler to say that Topher Grace is in this, because he does not do anything significant in the film. I could see the 2001: A Space Odyssey influence but I could also see the Gravity influence on the film, but Interstellar is neither. It is instead a glimpse into our future, as envisioned by Nolan. As a word of caution to people who want to see this film: it is a great film, but do not start questioning it or it will disintegrate in front of you.
Sojourner McKenzie is Entertainment Editor at Humanity Hallows. She is starting her second year of an English and Film degree and spends most of her time ranting at no-one in particular about everything. Follow her on Twitter @runsojrun
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