Inception: Review By kiion

Christopher Nolan, throughout his career, has been known to break the boundaries that people expect in the motion pictures. Never has this been more clear than the visually stunning and expertly thought out 'Inception'. Being his seventh movie in the role of director, it is clear throughout that he not only knows these boundaries but has also gained enough confidence so as to play with audience perception of what to expect, through to the max. What follows is a highly engrossing and stupendously special movie, that will captivate and surprise viewers throughout. Through an original idea that Nolan created, it is also clear the extreme talent that he has in making creative and thought provoking narratives. It is through stories like this that the his path of missing film school- instead opting for an English degree- pays off. Like his second film, the excellent 'Memento', this film serves as a way to display a plot line that at first is not made to be understood, instead audience members are asked to become patient and understand the movie at the pace the director saw fit. Although some will find the extremely confusing beginning a put off, those who stay to the climax will be rewarded for their concentration. An aspect that is often missed in the usual style blockbuster film.

Waking on a beach, a young man (Dom), is brought into custody by an armed guard. Forced into a room with an aged old man, the two discuss the purpose of him being there and the past that the two somehow share. The film then cuts to Dom and his business partner Arthur (Joseph Gordon Levitt), undertaking a job - their job involving corporate espionage into peoples subconsciousness in an aim to garner information that can be sold to investors- with the latest target being Japanese energy tycoon Saito (Ken Watanabe). The way that the two men undertake this job is by tethering themselves through machines that allow the user to pass into the subconscious mind of the other, through their dreams. The way to escape is through either running out of allocated time, being killed or gaining what is deemed a kick which will all waken them. As they go deeper into people minds however, the connection is less stable, an important point to make in context to the films plot. When inside the dream of Saito, Dom's subconscious thoughts of ex wife Mol sabotage the extraction of the information and fails the mission. Going back to reality without what is needed, Dom and the other members of the team are forced to run. However as they leave their location they are ambushed by Saito, who has a proposition for the mind thief to undertake. The much more dangerous task of inserting a thought into another persons head, in such a way that it causes the subject to develop it naturally, as if it is their thought. This type of work is called an Inception. With the promise of being a free man, from a dark and seedy past for doing this job, Dom agrees and sets about making a team together that could achieve it. The target being Robert Fischer, heir to the largest energy company in the world. Through moving through different levels of the targets subconscious, the team set about doing this highly risky job. This is what the films remaining duration follows.

Having the plot based in several stages of a persons dream state, with landscapes designed by the teams architect (Ellen Page), gives this film the freedom to create extremely interesting and completely separate worlds for the narrative to go through. Whether it is a busy suburban street with armed militants attacking, a hotel suite with zero gravity, the infiltration of a secret base high in snowy mountains or the endless state of peoples subconsciousness, this film is able to deliver a plot that not only fits them into place but allows the change to feel organic. Cutting back thought the different places, in relation to the time that has passed in relation to one another, not only keeps viewers understanding where they are in terms of the plot but also an organic structure that makes it feel completely believable for the characters to be where they are. This is the major strength of this movie, and on completing the film audience members should be able to walk away with a larger understanding than what they were first given. In a word, this type of creative writing is ASTONISHING. It is a film that craves for multiple viewing, but offers enough for this to feel entirely justified.

With such a thorough and in-depth storyline found in this film, a lot of pressure is placed on the cast. It is through them that the audience is asked to believe and as such, one poor performance could jeopardize the overall feel of the film. However, this is not the case. With an extremely talented ensemble involved, this is not surprising but there none the less. Leonard DiCaprio portrays Dom in such a way, that not only carries the main viewer focus, but also the state of mind that the character is in. Hinted at, but never made complete, through flashbacks of the troubled past this character is a mystery to the motives and sanity that he possesses. Through watching this film to the climax, the audience is taken on an emotional and engrossing story involving the character and having him performed in such an interesting manner leads to the main premise that 'Inception' is. This is his story and therefore should be seen as him. Joseph Gordon Levitt is excellent as his right hand man, performing his own stunts - including the key scene that is found in this film- allowing the film to feel entirely grounded and real. Ellen Page's character, Ariadne, serves as the audiences eyes in the story, you learn as she does. Although not a new way in which to get peoples attachment, it is handled extremely well right through to the climax. Marion Cotillard, is the main antagonist in this film and serves as a haunting and shadowy version of someone easily believed to be good once. Being a manifestation of Dom's guilt allows her to portray the character in a manner that feels very inhuman. A way that not only serves to worry the audience but to confuse them on where next her motives will lie. She is captivating to watch and helps drive the plot along. With the rest of the cast made up by the likes of; Michael Caine, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Pete Postlethwaite it is clear that Nolan has casted extremely talented actors to bring across his vision. And they do so accordingly.

With the many different places that the film goes to and the scenes that can be played around with in regards them being in someones mind, a lot of effort has gone into achieving the appropriately high quality effects that will drive the story forward. They have done some things within this film, that have never been seen before, and as such, the bewilderment that is gained from observing them for the first time gives the film a real magical quality. It is with these effects that the film will become known, and long after the film has run its course, audience members will still look back and remember them clearly. They are that special.

A rare breed of a film. A thinking man's blockbuster. One that is completely developed to the best that it could possibly be, and produced to the highest possible standard in hopes of giving the source material the credit it deserves. With this film, once again, Nolan is able to outline his directing talents and cement himself in with the elite in the industry. The cast are impeccable throughout, carrying the audience along for the ride. Although confusing at first, with enough wonderful pay offs, the film not only deserves your time but should gain it.