Okay…peeps…first off…clear you mind…go in free…and with a blank canvas…that’s the idea…and beware of parasites.
Nolan has been remarkable as his films such as The Prestige and Memento are such mind-racing, enthralling, cathartic affairs…they showed why he is skilled at drama, prose, chase-scenes, camera angle, action…and romance with a subtle nuance. He manages to incorporate these into his Batman films…no easy task…and while TDK remains arguably my favourite film of all time…ahead of The Departed, KickAss, Shutter Island, The Prestige, Last Samurai…Nolan truly adds all his ingredients in amazing manners and makes this film join my list…Inception is simply…brilliant…a mind-maze and a cryptic affair that complexes yet simplifies at the same time.
He recurs with his cast, and they all turn amazing roles. The sound-score by Zimmer is gorgeous as is the aesthetic pleasure of this film. Leo is my favourite actor ahead of Matt Damon, and now he worked with Nolan, my favourite director…and after Nolan took so bloody long to write Inception, in between and before his Batfilms…I am glad he stuck and took his time…the result is one of glory….Inception is a visceral joy.
The premise of Dom (Leo) as an Extractor who steals your secrets from your dreams, now being tasked to perform the Inception (which I leave to the film’s plot) in order to return to his home and kids…is one that seems simple. But the maze requires his assistant Arthur (JGL) as well as a team to perform the feat. Dom has to go into the mind of Fischer (Cilian) to complete a task while dodging an antagonist of heartbreaking proportions. Dream-stealing you say? Well…the film hinges on individuals sharing dreams…with the Architect (Ellen, Lukas Haas) designing worlds to propagate the dream. These built worlds can then be taken in by the team and each member can use the built-world as a dream-haven. Why you ask? Simply because these dreamworlds can be gifted by the architect and used for the task at hand…Extraction. The person who holds the secret is lured in as one of the dreamers, with his own subconscious populating the built-world, while the other wiser members keep their subconscious out, allowing the ignorant target to have his secrets stashed away in this dreamworld for…say a thief to steal. But one's mind, one's subconscious...isnt an easy thing to stifle. Enter the Extractor and his team. In this film, the role each member plays, the manner how they do it…and why they do it…are all important. How far can the team delve into the abyss of the human mind before the point of no return? The team boasts a chameleon in the form of Eames (Hardy) as they push the dream envelope further and further to achieve their aim…but at what price? The machinations and setups are like dominoes…and each step is calculated, even in the face of mishap…as the sensitive and severity of each move…hinges more and more on the edge of reason. This is a labyrinth of a mind-thriller and literally pushes the psychological envelope. Whether or not the end of the film is subjective, I have a theory that I’m sticking by…till Nolan spills his beans…but I add…what a way to amazingly end the film. Nolan delivers on all aspects, and so does his entire cast…with Leo showing why he is so diverse and simply…the best Hollywood has to offer. Ask Scorsese or simply watch Aviator, Departed or Shutter Island. Saito (Ken) offers a role in the film that is so pivotal especially as he give Dom a blessing in the form of opportunity, but may you blink, you may miss the keys and essential aspects…so pay careful attention to all detail…watch closely…as Nolan implants an idea in our minds that takes Equilibrium, Dark City, the Matrix etc and makes them feeble compared to his film…no easy task is that…but it’s one that Nolan delivers and promises to keep on doing. Whether it’s Batman 3 or Superman ‘with his special Nolan twist’ I can safely say…Nolan is legend…and Leo follows suit…
This film…gets 10/10.