When I first saw the trailer for Interstellar online, I expected the film to be an escapist ploy – an excuse for humanity to abandon its care for the Earth. As a theology student with interest in ethics and environmentalism, I take this responsibility seriously. At the same time, I enjoy science-fiction stories because of the deeper existential questions they explore.
The film begins in a stark, agricultural landscape
reminiscent of the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s, except it is in the not-too-distant
future. As the story unfolds we learn that the Earth’s capacity for life is
collapsing. Many people scrounge on subsistence farming as food gets harder to
grow.
When we first meet Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), he is
cocky, cynical and restless about his life. A former aerospace engineer turned
farmer, he pines for the days of testing new aircraft. He finds it difficult to
accept that society has changed its views on technological progress. At first, I found
Cooper’s character abrasive. As the film progresses, he encompasses a more
compassionate viewpoint. His role as a widowed, single father peeks at this characteristic; only concern for the future of his two kids gives purpose to his life. So,
it is suprising to see how the process unfolds next.
Cooper’s evolution begins when his precocious daughter,
Murph (Mackenzie Foy), discovers a mysterious gravitational anomaly present in
her room. However, she calls it a “ghost.” After a dust storm, Cooper enters
with Murph into her room and discovers that the “ghost” causes the dust to form
a binary code. The code translates into geographical coordinates leading to a
secret outpost where NASA is working on spacecraft and hoping to find other ways
to save the human race. Cooper reunites with an old friend, and is faced with
an unprecedented opportunity for space exploration in hopes of saving
humankind. The catch is that deep space travel, by means of a worm-hole
discovered near Saturn, will separate him from his children for many years.
Interstellar is the first science-fiction movie for director
and screenwriter Christopher Nolan. His previous films – Memento and Inception – set
the bar for mind-bending plots. In a few instances, Nolan egregiously
manipulates advanced theories of physics, but he does not
disappoint in pushing our minds to the edge once again.
In addition to a compelling story, Interstellar meets other
"good movie" criteria. First, the film has an all-star cast. Anne
Hathaway and Michael Caine play prominent roles as NASA scientists, but there
are also solid performances by up-and-coming actors. On top of this, many of
the space scenes are stunning. There is no doubt why the film won an Academy
Award for “Best Visual Effects” earlier this year.
Overall, the movie is worth seeing for its exploration of the big questions that motivate human existence.
As the credits rolled, I held a new appreciation for the power of love and the vigor
of the human will. I am also reminded that the cosmos is a filled with many
wonders that foster the human imagination.
That being said, I also believe Interstellar provides an opportunity to focus
our creativity in ways that live in tune with the Earth. One line near the
beginning of the film is especially telling. Cooper’s father-in-law, Donald
(John Lithgow), describes human behavior just before the Earth’s decline. “Six
billion people and every last one of them tried to have it all.” As a child, Donald
witnessed the explosive consumption of technology worldwide, but eventually the
production out-paced the natural limits of Earth’s ecosystem. Donald’s critique
of over-consumption is a cautionary tale that we can also embrace alongside Cooper’s
need for creativity.
