Come on, really?

Rating: 6/10 (21 July 2010)

**Possible SPOILERS (tried to not ruin anything TOO much though**
Inception has to be one of the most hyped films of this year. I do not blame it because it definitely rivals what's out now. I appreciate Nolan's cinematography. There is NO doubt that he has a vision, and knows how to handle a camera from obtuse angles, to popcorn summer movie fluff. It looks great!
However, that's where it stops. There are quite a few plot holes in the movie, that distract you while watching it. And this is ultimately why the movie falls under its own weight.**SPOILER** When you build a world with your own set of rules (the time factor, etc) **END SPOILER**, and try to pitch it to an audience at break neck speeds, you leave a few (the ones that have recovered from the rubbish that has been playing earlier this year) questioning things about the that very world you bring them into. And when you don't answer them, or if the friends you watch them with can't seem to answer them on the basis of casual discussion, but have to resort to the most loathed depths of the internet (i.e. bloggers and the like) in order to get the idea, that my friend is when the movie has failed to make its point (or the point of the scenes it was depicting).
If you don't see the plot holes of the movie, then please discuss the movie again with (or scenes of it) amidst your friends. And do not fall into the trap of 'oh man I will look dumb if I ask questions therefore I must act like I perfectly understood the movie' camp. Questioning what you see no matter what it is, is the very essence of learning. And if that is something Nolan has allowed you to do with the movie, then good for you!
I understood the movie, but saw a lot of the 'mind bending' to be mere parlor tricks. **SPOILER** Or for that matter a one trick pony (you know EXACTLY which trick I'm talking about, you saw it used twice in the dream constructs involving the 12 year old looking Emma Page). We live in a generation that's grown up with the likes of the Matrix, Dark city, the Fountain, etc. We have played video games like 'Echochrome' (if you are not familiar with this game look it up immediately, especially PS3 and PSP owners)**END SPOILER*. We have imaginations and intellect that questions everything, yet I find huddled masses, ( i.e people of my age range 25 and north) standing there in awe like they have never experienced something like 'Inception' before.
While I admire Nolan's dedication to his art (a decade of work apparently?) and his 'vision' for the movie, it is the writing, and the script that irks me. Perhaps it was the trailers of the movie that took the oomph out for me (trailers these days no longer serve to tease; they seem like an overdrawn executive summary that reveals TOO much). **SPOILER**It is melodramatic semi sci-fi with overtly drawn out scenes of guilt, that make you feel like this HAS to be a cinematic soap opera. *END SPOILER** When you FORCEFULLY RUSH ideas and emotions down the audience's throat, something breaks. It wither uses scenes that are TOO obvious for you to think they are intelligent, or some so outlandish that you may actually consider to be smart.
Ultimately, this movie should have considered an alternate release route. Perhaps Mr. Nolan should have made this into a miniseries on HBO. It would have become a mini cinematic niche on its own. He would have learned to pace himself better with a television show at first, refined the elements and then make a less tacky guilt stricken cheesy 'mind bending' movie. 10 years of work can span a decent sized miniseries of matured ideas that the audiences can sink their teeth into, get comfortable with (not entirely fluent though) and then whet their appetite for a full blown, truly mature movie.
You either hate this movie or love it (check meta). I find myself stuck in the middle,*SPOILER!!!!!* which ironically happens to be just as bad as 'limbo' *END SPOILER*. Watch it, tell your friends quiet down about the about the 'AMAZING ACCTTTTION!!!!' and 'VISUALS!!!!!!!', truly see the movie for what it is, and then discuss with an open mind without getting too emotional about it.
Best of luck to you Mr.Nolan. :)