Editor's note: This review is free of spoilers.SPACE — Christopher Nolan has achieved something that few directors have in this day and age: He’s given copious amounts of money to make original films — and studios, for the most part, stay out of his way.

Nolan has been given this autonomy because of massively popular and successful films like “The Dark Knight,” “Memento” and “Inception.”

Nolan’s newest offering, “Interstellar,” will likely polarize some of his fan base, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t make a beautiful and mesmerizing film.

Here are a few things to know about “Interstellar” before heading to the theater:

“Interstellar” is not “Inception”

“Inception” was released four years ago, but Nolan fans still can’t stop talking about it and I know that many of you are annoyed with us, but it was a great film. The movie is packed with action, drama, story and mind-melting concepts.

Many fans are expecting Nolan’s first post-Batman film to resemble the dream-heist film, but that would be a mistake.

While “Interstellar” has moments of action and thrilling spectacle, at its heart it’s a family drama, telling the story of a father and his daughter.

I share this because if you’re expecting a heart-pounding thrill ride like “Inception” or “The Dark Knight” you will walk out of the theater disappointed. If you head into it knowing that you’re about to get a drama centered on familial relationships more along the lines of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” or the 2009 fan-favorite “Moon” you’ll walk out of the theater mesmerized with the spectacle you’ve just witnessed.

This is a departure for Nolan in many ways, but it’s a good one. It gives us an idea that he trying to spread himself as a filmmaker, which gets me excited to see where he goes from here.

With that said, this is a large enough departure from much of his previous work that “Interstellar” will not be everyone’s cup of tea, including some of his more loyal fans.

“Interstellar” is packed with heady and heavy concepts

Many of the concepts and ideas “Interstellar” is based around sound more like a lecture in a college classroom than in a movie theater on a Friday night, but don’t let that scare you off.

The amount of study and research that went into creating the script for “Interstellar” must have been staggering, but Nolan and his brother and co-writer Jonathan Nolan managed to pass on the information in the film without sounding like a professor teaching an 8 a.m. class.

It’s no surprise that Nolan makes his audience use their heads, but “Interstellar” makes you stretch your understanding of space, relativity, wormholes and black holes beyond what most of us have cared to take it.

I’m sure Neil deGrasse Tyson will think these concepts are things he thought were interesting and difficult to grasp when he was a kid, but for the rest of us mere mortals “Interstellar” will likely be an enthralling science lesson.

“Interstellar” has dialogue and pacing issues

Looking at the film objectively there are really only two things that really stood out to me as major issues.

While I mention the big ideas and concepts in “Interstellar,” that also leads to some of the problems with the film. To explain these concepts there has to be a fair amount of exposition and dialogue and both stray off the path at times.

The dialogue feels forced and unnatural at times despite great performances from Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. Listening to some of the conversations you can’t help but think to yourself, “No one ever talks to themselves like this, except for maybe Matthew McConaughey when he’s driving in a Lincoln by himself.”

In addition to lengthy dialogue, “Interstellar” requires a fair amount of exposition to help give the audience a brief lesson on interstellar space travel and the pacing suffers at times due to this. While I was never bored watching the movie I did find myself anxious to get to the next moment to continue the interesting and exciting parts that we knew were coming.

I personally did not feel that the pacing was so off that it ruined the experience, but it was noticeable.

“Interstellar” is a beautiful film

This next point is no surprise given Nolan’s track record, but “Interstellar” is a stunningly beautiful film.

Nolan’s vision of space and far-off planets is a true joy to behold. The images captured on film are mesmerizing and even moving at times.

Everything from the dusty futuristic of Earth to the emptiness of space is made beautiful and captivating through Nolan’s lens. Even if earlier statements in this article have made you nervous to commit to “Interstellar” the visuals alone are worth your time.

In my humble opinion, which isn’t worth as much as I may hope, this is one of the, if not the most beautifully shot sci-fi films I have ever seen.

In addition to that, the sound mix on the film is powerful and impressive. Between the visuals and sound this is a film worth the few extra dollars to see in IMAX.

Do not judge “Interstellar” too quickly

I initially saw “Interstellar” on a Monday and sat down to write the review after the viewing. As I started writing I realized my thoughts were basically incoherent because I wasn’t sure what I thought yet.

At that point I stepped away from my computer and let it marinate for a few days, and I’m glad I did.

My Flix Junkies co-hosts, Travis Poppleton and Curtis Linnell, both felt the same way. As we walked out of the theater our opinions were very mixed about how we felt. We didn’t dislike the movie, but we also weren’t sure how much we liked it.

Fast forward to Wednesday night and I sent a text to the two of them that read, “I cannot stop thinking about ‘Interstellar.’ The more I think about it the more I like it.”

I then got a reply from Travis saying, “I was just about to send you the exact same text.”

Curt said he felt the same way.

“Interstellar” is a film that takes time to sink in. The more it works on you the more you realize how brilliant it really is. The movie, as I said earlier, will not appeal to everyone, but don’t necessarily trust your initial reaction, give it a day or two.

Conclusion

Overall “Interstellar” is not Nolan’s best film, but it is his most ambitious and some of that ambition may have kept it from being what some had hoped. Nonetheless, the movie packs an emotional punch and I truly believe 15-20 years from now it will be recognized as a sci-fi marvel and a masterpiece.

“Interstellar” is rated PG-13 for intense perilous action and language.

John has been writing about movies, news, sports and pretty much anything awesome for more than five years. John is the co-host of the Flix Junkies podcast and will always entertain you with his stories. John is an alumnus of both Utah Valley University and BYU. He, his wife and their two children call Salt Lake City home.

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