Inception

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2010)

Am I guilty of being a Chris Nolan "fanboy" as some forum stalkers would accuse the overly excited in this instance? Yes I am. Except how can that be a bad thing when he keeps on deserving it. I was confident before going in that this movie would stand up to objectivity, and It may take a few more viewings just to discover if there are actually any significant flaws that could subtract from what Nolan wanted us to experience. From my side of the looking glass, Inception was not only a great film, but the kind of film that deeply satisfies on multiple levels long after the credits roll. As an avid reader of Phillip K. Dick and similar authors who pioneered subversive, subconscious fiction for a future generation, I enjoyed every minute crawling through the labyrinthine narrative. As an illustrator who often pondered what it would be like to see the world through the eyes of MC Escher, I was doubly satisfied.
Lets start with the amazing cast. If I could get personal for a moment, each of the actors Nolan chose to participate in his vision are on my top 10 list of current favorites. Leo Decaprio earns a spot among them this with his turn as Cobb, the man with a haunted past who made an art form of steeling secrets from peoples minds, the up and coming Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whom I have championed since the remarkable homage to crime noir "Brick", is Arthur, Cobb's closest associate. Levitt adds another notch on his belt, and will certainly not be forgotten after carrying out what is easily one of the most astounding sequences ever put on the big screen. Tom Hardy, who wildly impressed with his off kilter portrayal of Britain's most notorious criminal "Bronson" is the charming master of disguise Eames. Ellen Page proves once again she has talent to burn as the architect of dreams in a role that serves to keep Cobb grounded just enough to finish the mission. Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Sir Michael Caine... we needn't dwell on the obvious.
So what is the mission? What is the method and motivations of entering each others dreams? What is at stake? I'm not going to get into it. If you want details of the plot there are plenty of other reviewers who were happy to impart them.
I would rather use this time to make two important points. Firstly, this movie is not for everyone. Please forgive any condensation when I say that if you are the kind that prefers paint by numbers, low brow fare; if you have little to no attentions span; if you get bewildered or alienated by concepts that brazenly reach over your head, than avoid this movie. If you hate having to concentrate on details and aren't willing to invest more than your retinas to any given experience, don't waste your time.
Secondly, Nolan has created a meticulous, substantial piece of cinema. I couldn't fathom anyone exclaiming otherwise, because for me this movie inspires my own lofty ambitions with the medium and reassures me that Hollywood can not always successfully suck the blood out of its true alchemists. You can't complain that this story has no emotional center. It may be as cool as a cucumber in its execution, but there is clearly a tragedy. Its difficult to grasp without much consideration, but there is a heart beating at the center of this story.
I imagine that after repeated viewings, the critics who weren't certain will come around, and those that dismiss it as drivel will continue to walk their straight and narrow paths, as traditionalists do, content with redundancy. There are some ambiguities in this script, but there is a piece of population that Nolan is catering to; people who love open ended discussions and solving puzzles, and learning things about themselves along the way.
I can't wait to see what Chris Nolan cooks up for us next. He's been working on this script for a decade and having given the world a Dark Knight we could all appreciate, flexed his resources for something more daring and original than anyone could predict. This was his dream, and now its ours, and generations to come will appreciate this layered, neo-noir masterpiece and be inspired by it. I know I will be.
Bradley J. Timm