INTERSTELLAR TRIES TO SOLVE HAWKING’S PROBLEM WITH ACTION
The premise for interplanetary travel is that the earth is dying: The population is far below 1 billion, dust storms signal the inability to grow food, and the last crop is corn, which is endangered. Needing a new pilot, NASA evidently jiggles the earth polarity to summon Cooper (played by Matthew McConaughey) to pilot a mission to a planet revolving around Jupiter in order to report back on habitability (Plan A) or, if return is impossible, to begin inhabiting the planet on behalf of the endangered human race (Plan B). Engineering and physics are celebrated, but the main challenges are how to deal with a black hole as well as the emotions of those on board and those remaining on earth. Filmviewers who recall the ambiguous ending of 2001 will find the ending similar in its suggestion that the future may require adjustment beyond the terrestrial three dimensions. MH