Like his idol Stanley Kubrick, director Christopher Nolan gets a bad rap for making technically brilliant, cerebral films devoid of emotion. It’s a harsh assessment, but also one that’s not entirely unfair – heck, even the director’s popcorn blockbusters boast a slightly clinical, detached vibe. But with his latest film, Interstellar, Nolan proves the critics who’ve written him off as an incurably cold, calculating filmmaker wrong. Because this mesmerising sci-fi epic isn’t just a paean to humanity’s potential for greatness – it’s also easily Nolan’s most heartfelt outing yet.

Set in a near-future where Earth is increasingly uninhabitable, Interstellar introduces us to NASA pilot turned farmer Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and his children, Murphy (Mackenzie Foy as a child; Jessica Chastain as an adult) and Tom (Timothée Chalamet as a child; Casey Affleck as an adult). After Cooper makes contact with a seemingly alien intelligence, he finds himself guided to a covert NASA base, where he meets chief scientist Professor Brand (Michael Caine).

Brand recruits Cooper to lead a mission crew – which includes Brand’s daughter, Amelia (Anne Hathaway) – through a newly discovered wormhole leading to the furthest depths of space, where they hope to find a planet capable of sustaining life. Cooper agrees to the mission, as it’s the only chance of saving humanity. But in doing so, he runs the risk of never seeing his children, Murphy (Mackenzie Foy) and Tom (Timothée Chalamet) again.

Interstellar is that rare beast: a sci-fi blockbuster that respects our intelligence. For most of the film’s 169-minute runtime, Nolan and his co-writer (and brother) Jonah assume we’re smart enough to keep up with whatever scientific theories or bonkers plot developments they throw our way. Admittedly, they lay all their cards on the table at the end – something Kubrick never did – but even so, it’s nice to see a big budget epic that demands (and rewards) our attention.

Not that the Nolan boys’ script is perfect. Interstellar‘s Earth-bound subplots feel a tad undercooked, and some of the dialogue McConaughey and Hathaway are saddled with is clunky and unnatural (and not just the expository technobabble). Interstellar also refuses to be rushed, occasionally to its detriment. The momentum most noticeably slows down during the film’s middle stretch and this more meditative pacing won’t be for everyone.

Yet Interstellar ultimately powers through these and other minor storytelling flaws, partly because of the sheer sweep of Nolan’s vision, and partly because of the raw emotion involved. Your mileage may vary when it comes to the film’s unabashedly sentimental “love conquers all” message, however, the scenes between Cooper and Murphy will leave a lump in the heart of all but the most hardened viewers. Nolan is himself a father, and the influence of his own experiences as a parent can be felt not just in these scenes, but throughout the rest of the movie, too.

But then, McConaughey being a father himself also has plenty to do with it, too. As Cooper, he’s utterly convincing as a dad willing to do anything for his kids, and he’s equally believable as both a former NASA pilot and engineer. McConaughey brings a rare – and vital – combination of soul, swagger, and smarts to the role, so much so that it’s hard to imagine anyone else fitting the bill.

He’s not the only outstanding actor in Interstellar, either. For her part, Hathaway produces a credible turn in a thinly sketched role, while Chastain and Foy are outstanding as the older and younger Murphy, respectively. Aside from their uncanny shared likeness, Foy demonstrates acting chops beyond her years, and Chastain – like Hathaway – finds impressive depth in what could easily have been a two-dimensional supporting part.

But the real star of Interstellar is its visuals. This is hands-down the best-looking film released this year, and it’s in the running for the best-looking film of all time, too. Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography is beautiful, the dazzling digital effects are virtually seamless, and the production design – which includes the coolest big screen robots in recent memory – is spot on. Everything sounds great, too, thanks to Hans Zimmer’s majestic, organ-heavy score – the composer’s best in recent memory.

Indeed, Interstellar isn’t just a movie unlike any other – it’s a Christopher Nolan movie unlike any other. Thanks to its unapologetic sentimentality and heartfelt performances by its cast, it’s Nolan finally bringing his emotional intelligence to bear as well as his technical genius. The upshot? Interstellar is a smart, moving sci-fi blockbuster that celebrates both the ingenuity and heart that defines us as human beings.

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