An amazing movie.

Rating: Null/10 (28 July 2010)

OK, first of all, just to clarify, I myself do not believe that this is the 3rd greatest movie of all time, as according to the Top 250 here on IMDb.Now I am not trying to take away from this film, it is an amazing piece of cinema, and the concept is simply fascinating. It definitely does belong in the top 30.
Christopher Nolan is one of the brightest film makers of this decade, with great films like Memento, The Prestige, and of course the two Batman films. Nearly all of his films are great, with his weakest, Insomnia, still being a favourite of mine. He delivers the goods again here, with a tale that mixes up espionage and action with sci-fi immaculately.
Inception follows Dom Cobb, a highly skilled thief, an "extractor", who along with his team, steals information from targets by breaking into their subconscious while they are dreaming. His experiences in his line of work means that he is a fugitive and cannot return to his children in the United States. However after a turn of events in the opening sequence, Cobb is given the opportunity to return home to his children, under the condition that he performs "Inception", which involves planting an idea in a subject's mind, rather than stealing it.
The movie plays out like Mission Impossible clashed with Memento, it's fast paced action and stunts matched by it's intelligence and science, and its character development on an extremely good level.
The acting is noticeably top notch, with DiCaprio his usual brilliant self as Cobb, a conflicted and damaged man determined to finish the job. He is well supported by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who gives a fantastic performance as Cobb's right hand man. He is definitely a future star, and I will be surprised if awards don't come his way for this. Tom Hardy also gives a brilliant turn, and he and Gordon-Levitt provide most of the comic relief in the film. Ellen Page also makes a good impression here, as do Ken Watanabe and Cillian Murphy, whose character was the one I certainly felt most sorry for throughout the picture. Murphy balanced anger and sadness very well, and hopefully he will remain a big name for years to come. Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard, as Cobbs dead wife, are also thrown in there for scenery chewing effect.
The special effects are great, especially during the climax, but even these play second fiddle to the story, which although is quite complicated in parts, is fun to follow if you have half a functioning brain at your disposal. The final half hour of the film is especially breathtaking, the "dream within a dream" idea is pulled off simply and it is top notch entertainment. The music by Hans Zimmer is suitably epic, filled with great emotion and loud, brassy action in the vein of Blade Runner by Vangelis. It adds another dimension to the film, and enhances it.
Overall, I think this is definitely Nolan's best work, even eclipsing the hype surrounding The Dark Knight. I just worry that he might not ever be able to top this. However, many said the same after The Dark Knight.
8.5/10