Unexceptional Inception

Rating: 6/10 (8 August 2010)

DiCaprio, a master at extracting secrets out of the minds of sleeping targets, accepts the assignment to plant an idea into someone's mind - a task he managed once before with disastrous results. The first forty-five minutes of Christopher Nolan's thriller are a riveting roller coaster ride of overboarding imagination. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to its initial promise. A story that, at its core, is a dream taking place in a dream taking place in a dream taking place in a dream has limitless possibilities. And yet Nolan the writer provides Nolan the helmer with not an ounce of fresh ideas once the inception-mission is set into motion, surrendering to - and relying too heavily on - trite shoot-ups, car chases and explosions that can be found in every ho-hum action yarn. The final showdown is a kicker, though. After "Revolutionary Road," "Shutter Island" and this project, DiCaprio should seriously think about a change of pace. By now, he can play this kind of character in his sleep...obviously. Academy Award winner Cotillard gets constantly reminded why she got the Oscar in the first place (it can't be that Nolan chose this particular song by accident), Ellen Page's wryness is always welcome, and Michael Caine is wasted in a throw-away role. Expert, mood setting score by Hans Zimmer. All in all, "Inception" is a good (and good looking) movie. Pity, it could have been a great one.