Don't let the hype of this movie deceive you. While it did not fall flat on its face, I can assure you that this film will not go down in history. It is not the 2001 of our generation.

That being said, Nolan's work here is admirable. He took a risk, which is not something you see everyday in Hollywood. As it is probably apparent to most people, the visual stimulation and scale of this film has raised the bar for the sci-fi genre. The acting of McConaughey and young Murph adds intrigue to otherwise paper-thin characters. The camera work was superb, and the exhibition of science such as wormholes and time dilation add a fresh spice to the formula.

That being said, this film has many flaws which weigh down its seemingly unbounded potential. Right off the bat, the thing which hindered the viewing experience the most for me was the constant exposition. It seems like every 30 seconds one of the characters has to explain exactly what the viewer should be thinking, spoon-feeding them, preventing their mind from being stimulated. My advice for the Nolan brothers is to show more, not tell more. This is where the major difference between Interstellar and 2001: a Space Odyssey falls. This movie would be like 2001 if it took 3 hours to tell, and the Starchild began explaining exactly what happened at the end of the movie.

Next, the writing was far from masterful. The characters were mostly 2-dimensional, especially the unneeded appearance in the 3rd act. The foreshadowing made the twists of the film predictable, instead of enjoyable. Many of the themes they chose to emulate come off as cheesy and unoriginal. The story-telling itself was a little clunky and uneven, as the director chose to simultaneously tell the stories of Earth and space. You get the fast-paced and high-energy excitement of adventures in another galaxy irregularly weaved with the slow drama of people on a dying Earth. Lastly, there are a few plot holes and leaps of faith you have to overcome to enjoy your time as a viewer, but if you can suspend your disbelief you should be fine.

All in all, it is no 2001. However, it surely was enjoyable to watch, although you may need to run to the bathroom halfway through. It is not a bad movie, but it is not a masterpiece either, which is what many people were expecting when they entered the theatre.