BLU-RAY REVIEW: Interstellar

[JessHorsley]

Christopher Nolan's Latest Masterpiece Hits Home Video...

There are various near-future films out there which warn us of the possible consequence humanity is having on our planet; the future death of life on our planet if we don't change our ways and commit to better stewardship of the Earth. However, as Interstellar so brutally and poignantly points out, we - humanity - may never be able to change the ways in which we live - especially the ways in which societies in a post-modern, industrialized, consumerist culture continue to modernize, industrialize and consume. Instead, with Interstellar, screenwriters Johnathan and Christopher Nolan ask the question: if we won't change, then we must expand...but how?

Again, films like Interstellar aren't entirely unique or rare; the need for space exploration due to the lack of resources has been a theme of modern sci-fi for decades. That said, what this particular film does best is focus not on humanity's need for continued existence or even expansion, but instead on one single human's need for relationship, hope and love -- especially in a future that is chaotic and unknown.

The future of the Earth is rapidly deteriorating in Interstellar. The world has become an arid wasteland where a rare disease infects vegetation and crops, utterly destroying any way to farm and harvest specific fruits and vegetables. You like beets? I don't, but no worries there; in Interstellar they're non-existent. Enter our protagonist, former test pilot turned farmer Cooper (Matthew McConaughey). Widowed, with his aging father-in-law left to help him raise his children, Cooper hopes to see his teen son Tom and tween daughter Murph live in a world where technology helps humanity effectively and efficiently grow and harvest those crops unaffected by the plague. Unfortunately, Mother Nature isn't allowing that to happen and it's only a matter of time before all of the crops - including wheat, corn and even oranges and apples - are unable to grow. Almost by accident, fate or whatever known or unknown force you believe in (God?), Cooper and Murph one day find their way to the last NASA outpost known to exist. Here, Coop discovers while their might not be any chance to save the Earth, there is a chance to save humanity - by exploring an unknown region of space accessible only through a black hole.

To say Interstellar is smart isn't doing it justice. If you've read anything about the film before now, you know just how academic it is. Interstellar throws various scientific notions at the viewer; everything from relativity and space travel to alien worlds and time manipulation are featured throughout. Thankfully, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to understand the film nor appreciate what's being communicated. In fact, the film - as previously mentioned - focuses more on the importance of relationships, hope and love than on the specific science and theoretical understandings which play a role in the story. Coop - a scientist, widow, father and son - cares for and loves his family and they, in turn, care for and love him. What the Nolan brothers focus on here is the sacrifice humans - we - are willing to suffer and endure in order to provide hope and a future for their children and those they love. Likewise, through the lens of antagonist Mann (Matt Damon), one of the scientists and astronauts who explores one of the alien worlds, we - the viewer - recognize and understand the lengths to which humans - we - will go to preserve our own lives and ensure we live, if only for a little while longer.

The story itself is not only smart, but exciting and beautiful to watch. The characters - even those who receive little screen time - are well developed and important to the overarching theme. While the film's length - 168 minutes - may turn off some fans of shorter movies; the 2 hours and 48 minutes literally capture your full attention and engage you fully. The 1080p video gorgeously captures the alien landscapes - both of a future Earth and the space and planets which the astronauts explore. Likewise, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack provides a powerful audio experience, delivering the howling wind and dusty, crashing waves and rocket-propelled ships to near perfection.

For those looking for additional information about the film and its science, the 3-Disc Blu-ray set includes a wide variety of behind-the-scenes options to explore, including the 50-minute "The Science of Interstellar," which provides a look inside the real science. Narrated by Matthew McConaughey and focused often on the consulting genius of scientist Kip Thorne, the film is broken down and explored piece by piece.

A number of other shorter featurettes are also included on the set:
- the 8-minute "Inside Interstellar: Plotting an Interstellar Journey," focusing on cast and crew discussing the actual space journey
- the 10-minute "Inside Interstellar: Life on Cooper's Farm," a look at the farm in the film
- the 3-minute "Inside Interstellar: The Dust," which looks at using real dust in the film
- the 9-minute "Inside Interstellar: Tars and Case," which provides a closer look at the film's robots
- the 1-minute "Inside Interstellar: The Cosmic Sounds of Interstellar," which provides a super-short look at the film's music
- the 4-minute "Inside Interstellar: The Space Suits," about the form and function of the suits
- the 10-minute "Inside Interstellar: The Endurance," which explores the film's space ship's design and creation
- the 13-minute "Inside Interstellar: Shooting in Iceland: Miller's Planet/Mann's Planet," which provides a look at the alien planet (which is really Iceland!)
- the 12-minute "Inside Interstellar: The Ranger and the Lander," which explores the vehicles used in the film
- the 5-minute "Inside Interstellar: Miniatures in Space," providing a closer look at the models used in film development
- the 5-minute "Inside Interstellar: The Simulation of Zero-G," a look at how the film simulated gravity
- the 13-minute "Inside Interstellar: Celestial Landmarks," a look at more scientific details regarding theoretical heavenly bodies
- the 9-minute "Inside Interstellar: Across All Dimensions and Time," which provides a look at theory behind the film's ending sequence
- the 6-minute "Inside Interstellar: Final Thoughts," featuring cast and crew reflecting on the film.

Other special features include the film's teaser trailer and 3 theatrical trailers.

Beautifully imagined, brilliantly brought to life and entertaining as it is engaging, Interstellar is the type of film that reminds us that while science shows us how the universe works, our love for friends and family is why we want the universe to work. An enjoyable film that's worthy of its length, Interstellar is available now on Blu-ray and DVD wherever fine home video is sold.

- Jess C. Horsley

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