Benchmark

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2010)

Quite simply, this is the finest big budget Hollywood movie I have seen in years. Which has led me to wonder: with all the money in Hollywood film, all the technology at their disposal, all the talent, both on screen and behind the camera, why aren't all Hollywood movies as good, or at least in the same ball park as Inception? I think it has instantly become the benchmark by which movies of its kind, and of its budget, must be measured.
Forgive me for echoing many of the other reviews on here, but every element of the film was outstanding, from the performances of the cast (a who's who of the finest Hollywood talent), to the cinematography, editing, sound, special effects, the choreography of the action scenes and the direction from Christopher Nolan.
But what impressed me most of all was the fantastic script. I'm quite baffled and bemused by all the questions and confusion many people are expressing on this site. Sure, the plot is complex, and like all movies of this kind requires the audience suspend their disbelief and make a few decisions for themselves, but I walked away from the movie thoroughly impressed with the way all the layers and elements of the story fit so perfectly together. So many films of this kind have such gaping holes in the plot that the audience are totally distracted from enjoying the movie. I just didn't have that experience with Inception.
And as for the ending (mild SPOILER alert) to be left to make your own mind up is surely the best way it could have possibly been concluded. For starters its generated a huge amount of debate, which can only be a positive thing for a movie, and secondly it allows the viewer to make up their own mind. Had there been no question that the end of the film was in reality, many viewers would have found it was too tidy, too happy for them. Had it been clear that Dom was still trapped in the dream world, it would have left those who prefer a tidier, happier ending with a bad taste in their mouths. And that is where Nolan really excels as a filmmaker. Somehow he has managed to make movies with mass appeal, without selling out and making dumbed down, formulaic, unoriginal crap. Inception will satisfy those who demand a cerebral challenge from a movie, but its accessible and understandable enough to also satisfy viewers who perhaps struggle with more complex plots.
In my humble opinion, Inception is about as perfect as a movie can get, well worth the price of a cinema ticket.