A cinematic Perfection, "Inception" shows us why we go to movies in the first place

Rating: 10/10 (29 July 2010)

It is extremely difficult for films today to actually deliver what their trailer concepts promise. It seems that Hollywood can rarely produce something that surprises us anymore. So when the "Inception" trailer first appeared online, I expected massive disappointment. It just had that look of being too ambitious and imaginative for its own good. I feared it would ultimately drown in its own attempted originality.
I was wrong. This movie blew me away. "Inception" is what happens when a true visionary finds a unique story that hasn't been told before and tells it in the most breathtaking way possible. This is the type of cinematic masterpiece that comes along only once in every generation.
A story that rivals the writing of Charlie Kaufman, the action of Michael Mann, and the heart and emotion of Alan Ball, this movie will stand for years to come as to what magnificent storytelling heights films are capable of today.
The story is about a man named Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio; "Shutter Island"), a professional 'dream thief' who enters the dreams of high-powered individuals and steals valuable information from their subconsciousness for those who are willing to pay for those 'inaccessible' secrets. When a client (Ken Watanabe; "The Last Samurai") hires him and his team members - including Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt; "(500) Days of Summer"), Ariadne (Ellen Page; "Juno"), and Eames (Tom Hardy; "Rock n' Rolla") - to go inside the mind of the rich son (Cillian Murphy; "Batman Begins") of the owner of a multi-billion dollar company and actually implant a memory (the meaning of inception), Cobb is promised that this last job will get him what he has dreamed of for years – back to his family. But when Cobb's tragic past begins to push its way through his consciousness and attacks their plans of inception, the team must do everything in their power to keep all levels of reality in check in order to succeed and survive.
Ultimately, this movie isn't just the best film of 2010 or one of the best science-fiction film in years. It's also one of the greatest movie-going experiences I've ever had. I just can't contain myself. I just loved every single frame of this movie. This isn't just "The Matrix" for the new generation. Better yet, this is what "The Matrix" should have been.
Director Christopher Nolan flawlessly combines complexity, originality, and ambitious storytelling to weave together a film that without exaggeration is unlike anything we've seen before. As shown with "Memento" in 2000, Nolan doesn't overly concerned himself with the fickleness of mainstream appeal or special efforts. All he has ever concerns himself with is telling the best story imaginable. That's what makes Nolan great – his utter dedication to the story being above anything else. It was a robbery that Nolan didn't get an Oscar nod for Best Original Screenplay for "The Dark Knight" - so here's hoping the Academy may make up for that erroneous mistake by actually noticing how brilliant this script is. "Inception" may, like several science-fiction movies did last year, have transcended its own genre, which is a very rare and wondrous thing to behold.
As good as the story is, Nolan makes sure the effects aren't slouching. Remember the first time you saw the action scenes from "The Matrix" and found yourself completely awed by the sheer scope and uniqueness? Well, that was so 90s. "Inception" takes fight scenes to a whole new level with fight scenes. The zero-gravity hallway brawl with Levitt is mesmerizing, with the fight going from the floor to the walls to the ceiling. Every fight scene, be it normal or not, just has this feeling of freshness.
Also, the sense of detail is astounding and awe-inspiring. This talent is especially relevant during the first time Cobb takes the newbie 'architect' Ariadne into the dream world and we see just how manipulatable the world is when she literally turns the busy New York town inside out. This is where Nolan's technical wizardry just shines to Oscar heights. Every visual shot is beautifully constructed, with money shot after money shot gracing the screen. My two favorite moments were where Ariadne manipulates Cobb's dream and the jaw-dropping last half-hour which involves a flawless and complex editing job of inter-cutting five different realities and events coherently.
On that note, this whole film is deserving of massive awards attention a few months from now. This is especially top-notch directing, writing, and cinematography. The acting of the cast should get some recognition as well.
Leonardo DiCaprio apparently just can't be stopped in his ambitious rise to becoming one of the greatest actors in Hollywood. This just might be the year Leo actually wins himself an Oscar with his monumental acting chops in Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" and now with "Inception." In the last decade, we've seen this guy rise from teenage heartthrob to a true actor's actor. His emotional versatility has never been as prominent as it has this year, and Nolan's screenplay perfectly compliments DiCaprio's talents in molding a character who is the heart and soul of this story. Without Cobb's heartfelt characterization, this film wouldn't have been nearly as good. He shines in each and every scene dealing with his wife (Marion Cotillard; "Public Enemies") and their past together. We can totally sympathize and understand how Cobb's raw obsession of the fate of his family haunts his every waking moment.
In the end, this is a groundbreaking epic that will go down in history as being one of the greats. This is going to be what most sci-fi writers are going to aspire to. Nolan already proved that he is capable of masquerading a cinematic masterpiece as your average summer blockbuster with "The Prestige" and "The Dark Knight." This is simply another example of his uniqueness as a filmmaker. "Inception" is truly Nolan's masterpiece – and considering Nolan's previous brilliance, that says a lot.