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Interstellar2014

Directed by Christopher Nolan · 2014 · Movie · 2h 49m

AdventureDramaScience Fiction

Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here.

With crops failing and Earth fading, a former pilot joins a mission through a wormhole to find humanity a new home.

Flag a scene Start a watch-along
6.6dumb per hour
Facepalm

Lower is better.

8 scenes flagged

2
Guilty
2
Contested
4
Explained

5,180 ratings

8
Scenes flagged
5,180
Ratings
2,630
Dumb votes
2,550
Explained votes
1
Not scored
Harbor Lights
First to flag

Is Interstellar dumb?

Interstellar scores 6.6 dumb scenes per hour, which puts it in the Facepalm band. Lower is better. 3 of its 8 flagged scenes count toward that score, based on 5,180 ratings.

2 scenes are Guilty (most viewers say dumb), 2 Contested and 4 Explained. Explained scenes do not count.

Where does Interstellar go wrong?

The most common problems are “Broken science” (2 scenes), “Out of character” (2 scenes) and “Plot hole” (2 scenes).

Is it worth watching if I hate “Broken science”?

2 of 8 flagged scenes are tagged “Broken science”. It shows up regularly. The highest rated one is How did Cooper send data through the bookshelf and the watch?.

Is it worth watching if I hate “Out of character”?

2 of 8 flagged scenes are tagged “Out of character”. It shows up regularly. The highest rated one is Why did Professor Brand lie about Plan A?.

Scenes in Interstellar

Why was NASA operating in secret?

0:30:00

Explained
4.4/ 10(480 ratings)
Why is the dialogue in Interstellar hard to hear?

0:40:00

GuiltyNot scored
6.5/ 10(640 ratings)
Why did NASA send humans instead of robots to the candidate planets?

0:50:00

ExplainedStaff
5.2/ 10(620 ratings)
Why did Professor Brand lie about Plan A?

1:50:00

Contested
5.9/ 10(520 ratings)
Why does Brand argue that love can guide the mission?

2:20:00

Contested
6.0/ 10(840 ratings)
Why did Dr. Mann fake the data from his planet?

2:33:20

Explained
5.0/ 10(590 ratings)
How did Cooper survive falling into the black hole?

2:38:20

Explained
5.6/ 10(710 ratings)
How did Cooper send data through the bookshelf and the watch?

2:43:20

Guilty
6.8/ 10(780 ratings)

Reviews

On the scene

How did Cooper send data through the bookshelf and the watch?
rocketry_rob7/10AI rewriteOct 27, 2026

Says dumb

The idea that gravity can carry a message back through time is the film's central claim. The film then uses it to deliver a very specific signal through a watch. Too convenient.

On the scene

Why did Dr. Mann fake the data from his planet?
canon_keeperFounding Critic #3Supporter4/10Oct 31, 2026

Says explained

He was alone for years in a bleak environment, and the film shows him breaking down. Faking the data to be rescued is a desperate but understandable act.

On the scene

Why is the dialogue in Interstellar hard to hear?
late_to_credits7/10Oct 18, 2026

Says dumb

In several scenes, the score drowns out explanations that matter to the plot. I had to turn on subtitles to follow the science.

On the scene

Why did NASA send humans instead of robots to the candidate planets?
rocketry_rob4/10AI rewriteSep 24, 2026

Says explained

The earlier missions were crewed and sent back a signal that they were alive. Sending a robot to check the same thing would not give the same data, and the colony plan needs people.

On the scene

How did Cooper survive falling into the black hole?
rocketry_rob5/10AI rewriteSep 4, 2026

Says explained

In the film's story, Cooper survives because the tesseract was built for him. Whether the physics is right is a different question. The film sets it up as a loop and follows through.

On the scene

Why does Brand argue that love can guide the mission?
harbor_lightsFounding Critic #58Supporter6/10Nov 2, 2026

Says dumb

The speech is emotional, but it is hard to treat as an argument for the mission. A scientist would be expected to explain more clearly why feelings should count as data.

On the scene

How did Cooper survive falling into the black hole?
plothole_peteFounding Critic #7Supporter6/10Oct 25, 2026

Says dumb

The black hole's tidal forces would end the story. The film uses an extra layer of future beings to carry him through. It is a bold choice, but it feels like a leap that the film does not earn.

On the scene

Why did Professor Brand lie about Plan A?
canon_keeperFounding Critic #3Supporter5/10AI rewriteAug 15, 2026

Says explained

He believed no one would work for a plan that left most of us behind. It is a bad choice, but it is a human one. The film frames it as a tragic decision.