Stunning sci fi which gets better and better

Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2012)

I won't deny, from the off, that I am a huge fan of Christopher Nolan. Everything the man touches turns to gold, and even his 'weakest' movie (Insomnia) is still exceptional.
From the earlier (and simply perfect) Memento, to the Dark Knight, Nolan has an astonishing gift for magnificent film making, clearly enjoying a labour of love with every piece of cinema he painstakingly creates.
When Inception was announced and previewed, it looked like Nolan was perhaps going to a new level of mastery. A psychological science fiction about the manipulation, use, and mystery of dreams on an epically grandiose scale. Given the man's record prior to its release, Inception looked like it might be his best work yet, and whether or not it is widely considered as such, it is nevertheless undeniably an astonishing piece of movie making which perfects every aspect of its content, from the superb performances, to the staggering cinematography, to the absolutely bewildering special effects, and of course the seamless direction.
Inception sees Leo DiCaprio's Cobb take on an almost impossible mission set to him by Ken Watanabe's enigmatic Saito. Cobb specialises in Extraction, a highly sought-after skill which sees extractors enter the dreams of their 'victims' in order to steal information sealed away in their subconscious. Clients pay big money to gain this precious information, and extractors like Cobb are in high demand for their skills.
The impossible mission in this case is the very opposition of Extraction, which is Inception. Instead of stealing information from individuals, Inceptions sees ideas being planted there. Ideas intended to change the person's very being and perception of life. Saito wants Cobbs to Incept the idea in Cilian Murphy's Fischer of not becoming like his father and dominating the market of the company he owns. Saito is a competitor and believes Fischer's current path will destroy his company and industry. In exchange Saito will make one phone call and get Cobb legally back to the USA where his children have waited for him for an unspecified time.
This is where Cobb's team come in - Ellen Page's Ariadne is the Architect who will design the dream's structure and environment, Tom Hardy's Eames will 'forge' characters, while Joseph-Gordon Levitt's Arthur is Cobb's right hand man and performs vital utility duties so the specialists can perform theirs.
The question is will Cobb's own demons wreck the mission, or will Saito get what he desires, while simultaneously saving Cobb? Inception is such an incredible and complex film that while the first viewing is a rewarding experience, it requires a second or maybe a third to full grasp the concepts contained therein, such are the layers and depth contained here. Aspects which may baffle the first time become completely coherent the second and the viewer is rewarded with an astonishingly rich and philosophical canvas on which so many ideas and elements flourish.
While the story and direction themselves are masterful, Hans Zimmer's quite miraculous soundtrack give the experience an entirely extra dimension. Tracks like Dream is Collapsing and Mumbasa are simply extraordinary and are an essential component of the feel of the movie.
All in all, it's a wonderful story, with intelligence, provocative ideas, great performances, and special effects on a staggering level which will live in the memory for some considerable time.
Just a pity Nolan is so disregarded by the Academy Awards...