'Inception' Review: Idea Planted By Bhagavata Purana!

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2010)

Dreams, Dreams and Dreams Some take dreams for fun Some consider them wisdom beams Some take a different turn And call them as sub conscious realms Some probe into them and learn That they can show us extremes Hollywood called it 'Inception' Showcasing fantastic themes and wonderful gleams
The 2 Hr 30 Min roller coaster ride called 'Inception' took me into romanticism, fiction, fantasy and meta-physical tunnel of thought.
To understand the movie, with my cognizance, the first link I could make is with Bhagavata Purana. Yes, I feel the 'inception of idea' for this theme is pulled out from the ancient texts of India. The texts say that 'Praakaamya' is one of the 8 sidhdhis that rishis can attain with practice. Once the sidhdhi is attained by enlightening kundali, the individual can own the power of 'realizing whatever he desires or dreams'. And another secondary sidhdhi is 'Manojava' which can be translated as 'teleportation/aerial travel' that deals with 'moving the body wherever desired with mere wish'.
'Inception' is based mainly on those two sidhdhis.
'realizing whatever one desires or dreams' 'moving the body wherever desired with mere wish' Already 'Avatar' was based on these two but with more fantasy elements.
Now 'Inception' deals more with science fiction and meta-physics.
The makers of this movie left three choices for audiences:
We can derive nothing out of it we can derive and understand something out of it We can derive and understand many things out of it. I'm going with 'choice-2' and trying to write something I understood, here.
The master moviemaker of Hollywood who is known for his intense insight into the human character is back. Chris Nolan has now taken the viewer into the journey of the subconscious mind.
Performances Leonardo was at his usual best and though his character was a bit subdued given the lead characters, he played his role to the T and made his presence felt strongly. His eyes do the magic at all times.
Joseph was the smartest among the lot and he has carried out his role with élan, the climax part where Joseph tries to get all of them together in zero gravity is worth a watch.
Marion looks seductive and exudes that element of meanness and affection in the right proportions, though she looks a bit elder to Leo's chocolate face, she still has that grace and charm.
Ken Watanabe has an aura about him which makes him an elegant choice for his role. His performance was quite competent and one could see the versatility in him.
Tom Hardy was cool, he impresses with his screen presence, good to see an Indian origin actor Dileep rubbing shoulders with big league stars, he was impressive. Ellen Page was cute and though she looks girlish, she had that maturity to fit in. Michael Caine was brief but impact creating. The others did their bit as required and added value to the film.
Analysis The good thing about the film is though it is a simple concept of planting an idea through dream; it never leaves an idle moment throughout the 2 hour 30 minutes tenure. The viewer gets sucked into right from the start. The dialogues are not flashy but wise; the real strength of the film is the background score which keeps the adrenaline flowing while the cinematography is mind blowing. They were grand and extravagant; the creativity is out of the world.
Editing was crisp despite the length and no part could have been altered.
On the flip side, this is not a typical action treat or commercial Hollywood feast. It is a rather deep rooted psychological thriller that plays with the mind. There are quite a number of times when the viewer has to question whether what they are watching on the scene is a dream or for real.
The makers must be appreciated for coming up with a simple storyline but presenting it in a convincing manner. This film is not for those who want entertainment or mushy emotions; this is a complex film that appeals only to the serious and thinking audience. One thing, even a drift of few minutes will slip the plot out of you so one has to be attentive while watching each and every scene.
Bottomline: Intricate psychological thriller, watch it to see your inception.