I suppose it's about time I got my ass in gear and wrote a review about one of the most anticipated movies of the summer: Inception. Usually within a day of seeing a movie I am ready to share my opinion, but this one took a few days for the spirit to move me.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Tom Cobb, an "extractor" of ideas from a target's dream state. The dream state is simply achieved by injecting the target and the extraction team with a substance that immediately places them inside a dream. The dream is constructed by an "architect" and the extractors work within the dream world to keep the target unaware that they are actually stealing secrets from their mind. It's basically corporate espionage wrapped in a lucid dream. Once completed, one requires a "kick" from the administrator (one who is awake to oversee the dreaming participants). The kick usually involves the sensation of falling, to awake from the dream and adds a bit of silly to the plot.
Our leading man finds himself in a predicament: Should he take one last extremely dangerous job? Requiring the use of Inception, a rare and untested form of espionage where an idea is planted in a mind instead of stolen, he will then be free to finally return home to his children. Obviously, he chooses the Inception gig and puts together a crack team to accomplish the multi level dream scape needed to succeed. In a race to complete his assignment and discern dream from reality, Cobb's adventure doesn't seem to run as long as 148 minutes...most of the time.
There are some amazing effects, such as the exploding dream world and the manipulation of the world as the city folds over onto itself. A rotating hallway, anti-gravity and lots of uber-slow motion were used as well, sometimes ad nauseam, but I think Nolan figured he had the budget, so why not?
The cast was good, and gave me a chuckle each time a Nolan Batman alum came on the screen (Cillian Murphy, Micheal Caine, and Ken Wantanabe). Leo was typical for his characters of late and I was pleasantly surprised by Ellen Page and especially Joseph Gordon Levitt. Marion Cotillard was unsettling and haunting in her role as Mal.
The music, by Hans Zimmer, seemed like a rerun at times from his Dark Knight Score, which I was disappointed with. I understand that Hans has grown into a certain style, but the similarities were a bit distracting and made me want to come home and watch Dark Knight.
I anticipated coming out of the theater with my jaw on the ground because of how affected I was by the trailers. I felt a bit let down not to mention confounded by the buzz the movie generated. I disagree with most in the fact that it wasn't as mind-blowing as reviews have said or that I had hoped for, but it was interesting. Many have commented that it is confusing or hard to follow, and that is not the case. The dialog is important, and yes there is lots of pretty pictures to distract you, but if you pay attention you will be fine. I promise!
Inception is definitely a movie to see on a big screen as the effects will most certainly loose their luster on a small screen at home.
MM Rating: 3 Megaphones
I agree with the majority of your commentary and keen critique of Inception's bravest moments and epic failures. However, in my opinion Inception's true value lies in the ability to adequatley convey the abstract while maintaining a mode of entertainment. Inception did not deserve all of the media hype and I don't believe it would have done as well as it did, had it not been for Leo's large scale appeal and top billing. But Inception offers in todays movie market a relatively rare occurence: a hybrid of cerebral demand and basic enjoyment. The joy of this movie is discovered not just through the stunning visual effects but in the complexities of Leo's ostricization from his own life juxtaposed against his current reality. All that being said, job well done in carefully disecting a movie flatly anchored in the abstract while attempting to reach a wide audience.
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