The majesticness of “Interstellar” and the disorienting symphony of gravity waves and wormholes are inflated by a soundtrack that evokes the movement of human emotions. The film weaves complexly into the web of love, grief, regret, and resilience that Cooper shares with his daughter, Murphy, against the relentless ticking of time.
Light-hearted banter opens the scenes, covering up the heaviness of Cooper’s eventual departure. Hanging in the balance, on a dying Earth, it is fragile that he will return “soon.” Frantic communications across a 23-year chasm turn dread into homesick longing as he is completely consumed by the wormhole.
Murphy, who was left behind on Earth, is wracked by an ache that belies her tender years. Blazing accusations against Cooper about abandonment burst forth in her devastating question, “Did you ever miss me?” But she doesn’t stop loving him, following his recorded messages that had become her compass through time.
It is an evolution that echoes Murphy’s development from crying child to determined scientist in their messages. Separation and the exhilaration of their shared passion for science are in every message. Cooper is in awe of the wonders of the universe, with the awe-inspiring proximity of a black hole and the serene ballet of Saturn’s rings, tinged by the longing to share them with Murphy.
Following Brand, the astronaut, was a connection beyond their mission. Though Cooper had been devoted to Murphy, the movie clearly wants to show the human connection that one feels, which cannot be conquered by space itself. His reassuring statement, “I promised that I’d come back… I’m here,” reflects his torn emotions and dedication.
This is the pivotal communication across time and space through Miller’s station’s tesseract. Emotions, spanning a lifetime, shrink to this breath from father to daughter. Cooper’s choked words, “I’m always with you,” tell of a bond transcending time and space, even gravity.
The emotional tapestry of “Interstellar” weaves more than just Cooper and Murphy’s relationship. We see how Mann spirals into desperation from isolation; we see the silent heroism of Romilly, masked with cynicism; and we see the brand stoic pragmatism give place to sorrow and doubt. In the characters, each wrestles to reconcile the daily universal question: how to make sense of the cosmos’ indifference to human suffering.
Ultimately, “Interstellar” is a film that underlines the power of human connection more than the triumph of scientific research. So, it is through the strings of love, hope, and forgiveness that they are able to bind against the huge emptiness of space and the unyielding raving of time, mending our broken hearts.
Thus, “Interstellar” turns into a powerful reminder that the most human of emotions is what remains, even in the most distant reaches of the universe—through Cooper and Murphy embracing each other wholeheartedly on Earth, Cooper and Murph laughing together over absolutely nothing on some desolate ice planet, or in that silent understanding in that final glimpse of Brand’s silhouette.
FOR MORE INFORMOTION: OXO MAGAZINE
