2nd Quarter of Inception Stalls a bit but Eventually Gets Going

Rating: 7/10 (28 August 2010)

The 2010 creation of Chris Nolan, "Inception", is a visually striking complex story that may require a 2nd viewing to pin down some details. After an excellent beginning that pulls you in well and several changes of locale, the movie falls into about 35 min of what felt like collective lectures which really tested my wife's and my patience. In effect during the 2nd quarter of the movie Nolan has dialog trying to stand-in for exposition. We find a multitude of scenes with characters talking and planning with one another more-or-less describing and creating the rules of the movie within itself. This "clarification" or explanation isn't needed and is cumbersome and a poor, convoluted approach. (spoiler) Yet once the "main" drive or plan of the story initiates, the movie becomes quite engaging aided by a musical score of grandeur. We forgive the cumbersome dialog that preceded it. Nolan, director of earlier "Memento", obviously delights in non-linear stories, and this movie takes that to higher degree with in effect 2 main plot-lines, a larger pool of players, and questions of reality and memory. It achieves a grandiose feeling, and serious pitch of emotion. Recommended.