A Riveting and Most Original Nolan Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (21 July 2010)

If Avatar raised the bar high with its stupendous technical accomplishment, then Inception has set the bar even higher with its technical brilliance intertwined with a story that keeps you riveted to your seats till the end. Where Avatar missed out with its otherwise bland storyline, Inception has delivered and how! ''An idea can transform the world'' - the perfectionist Christopher Nolan's unique idea about dreams materialized into Inception and has transformed the very notion of a 'movie'. Nolan, who leaves no stone unturned in hunting out the perfect actors in his films does not make an exception here. Known for bringing out the most engrossing performances from his cast, the vintage Nolan has once again succeeded in making his actors give such effortless executions of their roles thus orchestrating into one of the most intriguing movies ever made.
True to Nolan style, Inception keeps you guessing with its thrills and spins, the delicate intricacies that make perfect use of your mind and the engaging visuals that never leave even a single minute boring. One of the most original scripts written by Nolan with fantastic dialogues, the mind-boggling multi-layered film simply entices you with its breathtaking cinematography and superb special effects.
You can feel yourself sharing the dreams of the extractors as Dom Cobb, the master extractor goes on stealing ideas from the human mind by sharing dreams. You can feel his emotions as his belief torments his soul and Ariadne's anxiety that his personal pain might actually bring about the downfall of their entire mission. If the movie's first half enchants you with its charm then the second half simply blows your mind. For the first half is the basic lead-up to the actual process of inception shown in the second half, which Dom Cobb takes up as a challenge which would aid him to return to his children.
And there lies the multi-layered dream fantasy, a dream within a dream - something you have never seen before. And each layer is executed with such impeccability and intelligence that you cannot help taking your eye off the screen for even a single second.
And to top it all Hans Zimmer's association with the movie brings out the best in every scene with his brilliant score.
Over the years Leonardo Di Caprio has grown even better as an actor and his latest offering of Cobb, the corporate spy with a tortured mind might finally be enough for an Oscar breakthrough. Ellen Page as the prodigious architect, Ariadne and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cobb's team member, Arthur deliver impressive performances. Ken Watanabe's portrayal of a cunning businessman was absolutely just what the movie required. Tom Hardy as the witty forger, Eames and Cilian Murphy as the heir, Fischer Jr with hidden emotions do a commendable job. Last but not the least, Marion Cotillard was haunting and bewitching in her small role as Cobb's deceased wife, Mal who appears in his subconscious.
This is by far Nolan's best offering till date. While a single viewing might not be enough to grasp the film entirely, its grandeur will simply mesmerize the audience and cover up any flaw, if it really has any. If Memento, The Prestige and The Dark Knight raised the bar of expectations, then Nolan has simply exceeded those expectations with Inception and makes himself an absolutely compelling candidate for the Academy Awards!