Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaugheyReuters

Christopher Nolan's latest extravaganza, "Interstellar"-- a science fiction, which has people searching beyond this galaxy for a habitable planet -- has been receiving mixed response from critics. While some consider "Interstellar" to be Nolan's magnum opus, not many believe the film could be an example of a cinematic milestone.

It is not a science fiction along the lines of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," and neither is it similar to Alfonso Cuarón's "Gravity." But it's more of a "season of 'The X-Files' wrapped around an episode of 'The Twilight Zone' with as many twists and turns as a whole-grain pretzel and as many guest appearances as 'The Love Boat,'" writes James Verniere of Boston Herald.

David Thomson of The New Republic called the movie an "entertainment disaster" stating that the story and dialogues are "ridiculous," a view echoed by many other reviewers.

So what is "Interstellar" all about? The story focuses on how global food crisis has turned America into a waste land, and how Matthew McConaughey's character, Cooper, ventures out into the space to find other habitable planets for resettlement.

Cooper is a retired NASA pilot who stumbles upon a secret research station where his old boss Dr Brand (Michael Caine) informs him that Earth is finished. But there might be some hope for mankind, as he and his team have discovered a "wormhole" that could lead them to a habitable planet outside Earth's galaxy.

Cooper immediately leaves his two young children to go on the mission, believing that he would be able to get back to Earth without much delay. But when he finally manages to return, two decades have gone by back on Earth.

Cooper's two children, who were in their teens in the beginning of the movie, are two middle-aged adults who are upset with their father's abandonment. And this emotional element is the focus of the second half of the film.

Essentially, "Interstellar" is two films wrapped into one -- the first part focuses on space travel, and the second highlight's the protagonist's children. Bringing the two together is indeed a daunting task that Nolan seems to have had some trouble with.

"By the closing credits, it seems possible that Nolan himself hails from another planet, and while he has tried diligently to show humanity in a flattering light, he lacks enough inside information to get it right," wrote Liam Lacey of the Globe and Mail.

"Interstellar" stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Casey Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Topher Grace, Wes Bentley, John Lithgow, and Michael Caine among others.