It's just a movie! Just a very good one.

Rating: 9/10 (23 July 2010)

What I mean is, don't let the hype surrounding this film put you off. If you like suspense thrillers with a bit of action that demand FULL attention, you should love Inception. The film is not an intelligence test, although I'm sure its growing number of fans consider themselves to be superior to those who don't like it. However, it WILL test your patience at the beginning and will only pay off according to how much you pay attention. The plot is very complicated, much of it taking place in one of the character's dreams. These dreams have been orchestrated and designed by Cobb (Di Caprio) and his associates. Without revealing the plot, the central premise is that you can sedate a person, induce a specific dream using a technological thingamajig and invade that dream in order to, for example, steal information from them. This essentially is the set up for a complicated narrative involving DiCaprio being half forced, half cajoled into the more difficult task of planting an idea into the head of the heir to a massive energy conglomerate, played by Cillian Murphy. I'll leave the rest for you to discover. The beginning is hugely action-packed, but in a way that is deliberately confusing. Director Nolan attempts to have the plot reveal itself to the audience as naturally as possible, using fairly traditional story-telling devices for exposure. His intention seems to be to have as little authorial presence as he can, to draw the audience in fully. How much you enjoy the film depends on how successful Nolan is at drawing you in. I gather many people have gone in expecting the greatest film ever, and left disappointed. This is inevitable. If, however, you go into it wanting to be drawn in, and follow the path laid out for you, you will, I believe, be drawn in as fully as I was. Time to gush: the plot is really original, and pretty air-tight. There are no gaping holes that cannot be explained. After the long opening sequence, the film is totally gripping. The packed audience at the screening I saw was literally on the edge of its seat, leaning forward spellbound by the end. The shouts and applause I witnessed as the credits appeared were louder and more enthusiastic than anything I have seen since Pulp Fiction. Wow. In addition the effects are stunning, while at the same time necessary and unobtrusive. The over-dramatic, very loud and much hated score really only mirrors the drama on the screen and I have no problem with it. Of key importance is the acting, as the film is so big, it could swamp the characters. The ensemble cast, however, is uniformly brilliant, although Ellen Page from Juno is a little overwhelmed and is the weak link, she does a really good job to be fair. Special mention must go to Ken Watanabe and Tom Hardy who are super cool and provide a little lightness now and then. But this is Di Caprio's film. This will surely be seen as his best role, the culmination of a superb recent streak of great performances in great films. He genuinely has the gravitas to hold the film together and give it a moving, human element sorely lacking in some of Nolan's otherwise brilliant previous films. A great movie. Watch it at the cinema, with an open mind.