Last week, Paramount Pictures blessed fans around the world with a theatrical re-release of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (2014) in time for its tenth anniversary. This was a great decision for the studio to make, as anyone who has already seen the stunning sci-fi epic would agree that Interstellar is made for the big screen.
Interstellar has sat in my mind ever since I first saw it. Although I was only ten when it came out, and had little understanding of the science in the film, nor the complex themes of sacrifice, survival, and environmental degradation, I do still remember being in awe of the monumental scale of the film. As I sat in the Printworks IMAX theatre, watching the extra-wide shots of extra-terrestrial landscapes and incomprehensibly huge planets, accompanied by Hans Zimmer’s legendary soundtrack, my love of space, and the science-fiction genre, was firmly cemented.
Interstellar is primarily a story about the lengths a father is willing to go to ensure the survival of his family. The film follows Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) as he leaves a dying Earth to make the ultimate expedition through space in a bid to find a new planet for humans to colonise. The tragedy in this film lies in the fact that he must leave behind his children in order to ensure that their future children will one day be able to survive.
What makes this film special is its ability to truly harness the science-fiction genre to explore the boundless nature of love. The images we see on screen – the glowing blackhole, the mind-bending fifth dimension, and the extreme close-ups of Cooper’s face as he experiences wormhole travel (a clear homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey) – all tell a story of a father’s love which transcends time and space.
More than just a ‘space film’, though, Interstellar is a nuanced take on the complexity of human nature. As we watch Cooper and his fellow astronauts grapple with the sacrifices they have made, Nolan shows us how desperation brings out the best and worst in humanity. Some heroically put aside their personal loyalties to do whatever it takes to ensure the mission is completed, whilst others turn to deceit and violence in order to forward their own agenda.
Ten years on, Interstellar remains to be one of the best films of the 21st century. A landmark achievement in Nolan’s career and the wider sci-fi genre, there is no doubt it will continue to inspire the next generation of moviegoers in the years to come.
