So, I saw Interstellar last night, at the famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood. A film Ive been greatly anticipating for probably over two years, and for three reasons: First, its science fiction of the absolutely grandest scale imaginable, not dared since Zemeckiss 1997 presentation of Carl Sagans Contact (and if that was big, Interstellar is vaster by literally several orders of magnitude) Second, its science fiction that puts science at the core of its narrative. The screenplay was cowritten by a top-caliber astrophysicist, and Nolan took great pains to preserve scientific accuracy in not only the concepts and storytelling, but the visual and sound effects as well. Third, the story is about stuff that matters: It takes the spirit of Carl Sagans Pale Blue Dot and takes it to its next inevitable step: In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand. For the moment. When that moment fades, and our stand finally must fall, what then? Where WILL help come from to save us from ourselves? What obstacles must we overcome to transcend the vastest distances and most stalwart barriers conceivable? So, I was beyond excited to see this film. And the film delivered, though I must acknowledge with the caveat that there are some narrative developments that I ultimately thought were oh-so-slightly beneath the greater artistry and spirit of the film. Without giving anything away, my minor disappointment is that a Deus ex Machina introduced at the beginning the film is explained by another Deus ex Machina at the end of the film that some might consider a clever/mind-bending reveal, but which felt to me like a trite imitation of the same concept executed better in other science fiction tropes. I felt like the films bootstrapping spirit--that we are explorers and innovators, and that we have always rescued ourselves from the fires of destruction and solved seemingly intractable problems, and theres nothing we cant overcome--is somewhat undermined by a science fiction device (coincidentally also referred to as bootstrapping by those who analyse such devices) that, while nifty to think about, doesnt seem aligned with the films apparent central message. That said, I think this is one of the most ambitious stories ever put to screen. The visuals are beyond stunning and (to my limited but somewhat esoteric knowledge) absolutely correct per our best scientific knowledge of the physics involved. Thrust in space makes no sound, momentum is meticulously conserved, wormholes are represented as spacially spherical constructs, and even the orbital mechanics involved in a hairy manual rendezvous/docking sequence seem to be legit. Furthermore, the film is one of scant few that explores the true ramifications of relativistic travel and time dilation, and the heart of the storys Big Problem and its solution rest in the mathematical/theoretical gaps in our understanding of relativity, quantum mechanics, gravity, and the relationship between these things. The holy grail of unresolved quests in physics is ultimately the hinge-pin around which the storys intellectual core revolves. Simultaneously, there is emotional depth and great heart where Nolans oeuvre posits that, beyond the mystery of gravity, other forces that are far more human in nature also govern integral properties woven into the fabric of the universe. Although, this second point could have been delivered with greater subtlety and would have served the film better as a subtext than a rather overt plot driver. So, it wasnt a perfect film, but it was a valiant reach. See this film while it is in the theaters, and if you are lucky enough, see it in 70mm IMAX. Its the biggest thing you will probably ever see with your own eyes. But dont sit too close to the screen (or the speakers), or you WILL be truly overwhelmed in a way that may in fact impair your ability to take in this already massive creative effort.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Nov 2014 02:32:18 +0000
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