Inception - Movie Review

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Inception
*****

It doesn’t happen often, but every once and a while there comes a film that makes me wonder why I should even continue making films, or pretty much anything for that matter, at all. This isn’t because the movie is so bad, on the contrary, even Speed 2: Cruise Control has enough inspiration to draw out the most inexperienced artists and make them rationalize “If somebody could get away with making this, then why can’t I?” Some films are simply so good, and on a level completely beside themselves, that one has to wonder if they themselves have anything to offer the world that could possibly compete. Inception is one such movie. In fact, it really is one of the best films I have ever seen.

Being such a great movie, I almost don’t want to give an introductory synopsis. This is a movie that wants you to figure it out on your own, and doing so is just one of the films many joys. I suppose what you need to know is that the film is about a man (Leonardo DiCaprio) who has the interesting occupation of constructing and entering the dreams of the corporate elite. His job is mainly to extract valuable information from the subconscious safe hidden away in the dreamers mind. Of course, not all of the heists go quite right, but when one such incident occurs it leads to an interesting opportunity. This time instead of stealing information, he has to plant one. All things considered, it should go well for everyone, unless the mind of the constructor begins to get in the way.

With this comes the understated thought experiment of the origin of ideas, of ideas being tainted by other men, or of ideas being completely manifested by a third party. Where does inspiration strike, and when is inspiration something not to be trusted? The fact that such a situation is so invasive and, in a way, perverse, is hardly even addressed by the central characters. This is a job, and the rewards in themselves prove to be admirable. The only objectors are the manifested observers in the dreamers mind who don’t like having someone else messing around upstairs.

This is a movie where everything just seems to work, even when the muddled mess of dreams within dreams within dreams within the subconscious seem incomprehensible to the viewer. This is a demanding film to experience, not just watch, and although there are wonderful action sequences to behold, it takes an engaged mind to keep up with the world the film constructs from the ground up.

It must be noted, in my opinion, that director Christopher Nolan’s work does have some notable similarities to other films I’ve seen. Anyone who likes this needs to take a look at the anime film Paprika, whose frantic story-line also revolves around a dream detective stumbling through the subconscious mind, entering gravity free hallways, and riding on elevators to parts of the mind one might not be ready to enter. Quite similar, at least without gigantic skyscraper-destroying china dolls and fighting robots


(yeah, it’s pretty trippy),

Still, when it comes down to it, Inception is quite simply a far better movie. Really, it's a masterpiece. It just is. If you don’t trust me ask the reviewer next to me who boasted of her meticulous note taking skills only to leave the theater with blank pages.

This is a film that demands you pay full admission and view it immediately. Having not just a big screen, but an active audience as well, is simply outstanding. Here you’ll find one of those final shots that stands among Citizen Kane as one of the greatest moments in film history, one of those moments so highly calibrated it could never be executed in a finer fashion. Afterward, as you take the elevator down to your car waiting patiently in the garage, I can guarantee you’ll be waiting for the next kick.

See it.