A complex masterpiece that requires multiple viewings

Rating: 10/10 (25 July 2010)

My summary is not meant to infer this film is so complex that you have to be a genius on some level to understand it. What it means is that Nolan has crafted a film which has so many layers going on that you inevitably miss a piece of detail from one of those layers and it is only through subsequent viewings that you are able to fully appreciate the film.
Camereon touted Avatar as a film created for the cinema experience and he successfully did that. It is a film which seen in a smaller format does no justice. So too is Nolan's film created for a specific experience; that of multiple viewings and group discussion. This is a film that you have to discuss with other people. You have to see multiple times as it is a sensory overload. This is a film which truly is a personal and group experience all in one.
The story is not that complex in its genesis; it is a heist film. But whereas most heist films are after an object, this one is about taking over someones subconscious and planting something, not taking anything, though it could be said they are taking away free will. You have a group of people led by DeCaprio's character, all specialists in a certain area, working for the common goal. However in this story, ultimately, DeCaprio's character is working for a very singular goal; to get back home, to achieve a certain level of redemption.
The film works on many levels in a very literal sense. You must be paying attention to know what level you are in. This is a simple heist movie, but Nolan takes that seed and creates a world of opened and closed levels. In the amongst the goal of the group there are trials and tribulations. Ultimately, all of those trials are a product of what each team member brings to the heist. When you are dealing with dreams, the subconscious plays a huge role. How messed up your subconscious is determines just how deep the rabbit hole is that you are about to go down.
That is all I will say about the film's story, you must experience this for yourself with as little upfront info as possible. Suffice to say performances are fantastic. There is no one person to single out, it is a complete ensemble cast. Effects are crazy, would love to see film in an IMAX environment. As good as they are, they only serve the story, not the other way around. Finally the music is some of Zimmerman's best work to date. He tends to create many of the same signature notes but this go around he has created a score that is as complex and on as many levels as the film.
Get out and see this film, enjoy it, talk about it with your friends and see it again.