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Film Review: Inception
With such films as ‘Memento’ and ‘The Dark Knight’ under his belt, Christopher Nolan had a lot to live up to with his latest offering ‘Inception’. The film revolves around Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a type of burglar who specialises in dream extraction- that is, the process of dipping into a person’s subconscious via a dream in order to steal important information from them. Cobb is then hired to plant an original idea into someone, a near impossible process called inception. Confused? It’s just getting started.
The film is fast paced from the start and its momentum never lessens. The action dips in and out of the dream world at lightening-speed and demands your undivided attention. If you let your concentration slip for a moment you will have a hard time catching up. The film strives to stay one step ahead of the audience at all times. As you are plunged into the multi layers of the dream world, the plot becomes more complicated, the twists more tense. Though there may not be an Oscar worthy performance here there is not a weak one either. DiCaprio does well as the intense, tortured lead and Marion Cotillard’s wonderful portrayal of Cobb’s wife Mal manages to be both sinister and vulnerable. Supporting actors Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy do excellent jobs as members of Cobb’s dream team.
You can certainly tell what a huge budget this movie had. The cinematography is fantastic – enhanced by Hans Zimmer’s soaring score - and Nolan does not waste the opportunity to indulge in ‘anything is possible’ dream scenarios, complete with scenes of falling skyscrapers and Paris folding in on itself. It seems a shame that Nolan resisted the idea of having the film in 3D, as it could have made the dream world shots even more spectacular, possibly rivalling those of Avatar. Still, it is more visually exciting than most of the films out this year.
Inception is a visual and technical wonder, and while the plot may be too complex for some it is great to see a movie that does not dumb down to the audience. It is a summer blockbuster, but thankfully not a brainless one.
9/10