Leonardo DiCaprio
Ken Watanabe
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Marion Cotillard
Ellen Page
Tom Hardy
Cillian Murphy
Tom Berenger
Michael Caine

Christopher Nolan

148 mins.
Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
July 16, 2010

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout. (MPAA)

(This review was written after my second viewing of the film.)

“Inception” is a triumph of cinema. Christopher Nolan is one of the best writer-directors in history. The meticulousness of this film is mind-blowing, especially because it doesn’t get in the way of telling a riveting story: one that encompasses the sci-fi, thriller, heist, and tragedy genres, among others.

As with many great films, “Inception” works on multiple levels. It has mind-bending ideas and visuals (even the effects are perfectly imperfect at the right moments). A viewer could simply watch this film for spectacular visuals and arresting action sequences. Another viewer could watch this just to follow the intricate plot lines and try to connect the dots. Yet another viewer could watch this film to think about the nature of relationships, dreams, consciousness, reality, and existence. Each of those viewers would get exactly what they seek. However, if the viewer pays close attention – Nolan makes it easy for the viewer to do this with elegant pacing – he or she will get all of those things at once.

Another thing that’s a credit to Nolan is the clarity of the acting. Yes, the actors are to be commended for their work, which is flawless. However, the clarity of the performances must be at least partly attributable to the writer-director. This isn’t an easy plot to understand and then to translate to an audience. (Reportedly, it took Nolan about a decade to finish the story and script.) Nolan must’ve had numerous discussions with the actors about what’s supposed to happen in each of the scenes. Essentially, each actor knows what he or she is doing and talking about. And each actor owns those things. As a result, each layer of this complex tale is relatively easy to follow. It’s what you would hope for when you watch a production of a Shakespearean play: absolute clarity of thought and intention.

Furthermore, and similarly, the casting is pitch perfect. Each actor seems to be tailor made for his or her role. A perfect example of this is the use of Marion Cotillard. She’s such an alluring actress, and that’s an indispensable characteristic for her character (the femme fatale) in this film. It makes perfect sense why DiCaprio’s character would be captivated by her fatalistic spell.

Also, by using Ellen Page as the character who’s introduced to the manipulation of dreams and consciousness, we’re able to learn the rules without feeling left out or talked down to. Page can be annoying, at times, but not here … not in this role.

“Inception” is as close to perfect as a film can get. Some may nitpick and find a minor fault here or there, but that would take some doing; and it would be no fun, at all. While Nolan deserves the lion’s share of the credit, the whole cast and crew also deserve major kudos. This is definitely my kind of film.

Verdict: Great

About: (Source: inception)

Nominated for eight Academy Awards, including “Best Picture,” Inception — directed by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan — features an international cast in an original sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the intimate and infinite world of dreams.

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious, during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an interational fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved.

Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible: inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.