Originally Posted by
Chris
Pros:
Washington was great from start to finish and I can’t wait to see more of his work. I won’t pretend to have seen many of Pattinson’s films but I think I finally get it in terms of what he brings to the table and I’m looking forward to his Batman even more after this.
The set-pieces are what you expect from Nolan these days - big, visceral, expertly put together. He knows how to keep the characters, and thus the audience, at the centre of the action rather than indulge in fancy shots of the stunts. There’s a fist fight in a corridor that is outstanding - it was the highlight of the film for me.
There are some images that we just haven’t seen before in a blockbuster. I’m surprised so much was given away in the trailers as they probably would have landed even better if you were seeing them for the first time.
Anyone who is tired of sequels and reboots will surely admire the sheer ambition and ingenuity of this film. This is bold stuff. Comparisons to Inception miss the mark - I think this is way more complex and there’s no audience surrogate character to walk you through the concepts. There were a few on-the-nose moments about people not understanding what they were being told, but Nolan certainly trusts in his audience to get this. But perhaps he’s finally gone too far.
Cons:
I was completely lost at times. Which is not necessarily a bad thing when the film reveals stuff later on that explains earlier moments. Some things make more sense after reading around. But the problem is that the film moves at such breakneck speed that I had that “What is going on here?” feeling for long stretches - to the point where I was watching a set piece but not fully understanding the goal that the characters were trying to achieve. That feeling was really distracting. It took me time to reflect on some of Interstellar’s ideas and concepts after the first watch, but I still felt satisfied and blown away. This was almost inaccessible at times and therefore I came away a little disappointed.
I’ve never agreed with the idea of Nolan’s films being overtly “cold” but this is probably the most functional and detached of his big films in terms of characters. I liked them and wanted more of those rare occasions where they sat and talked without churning through huge plot explanations. There was no scene that really resonated with me like Cooper watching the video, Cobb at the house or even a punch-the-air moment like Bruce’s jump.
The music is at times overwhelming - the last thing you need when you’re barely keeping up with the exposition. Dunkirk was an assault on the senses in a good way because there are whole scenes with little dialogue and you were fully immersed in the carnage. In this, there were a few moments when I couldn’t really make out what was being said. Multiply that by five when people are talking fast whilst wearing masks.
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