Like a Dream

Rating: 10/10 (28 July 2011)

In an age where cinema struggles to produce quality films, Christopher Nolan continues to deliver. Today, so many filmmakers seem to be running out of ideas and enthusiasm. But as far as Nolan is concerned, nothing could be further from the truth. His films only get better and better. This one, for lack of a better way to put it, was like a dreamand a vivid one at that.
As a huge fan of Nolan films (Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, etc.), I went to see Inception with high expectations. Normally, I don't set my expectations very high, for when I do, I am usually disappointed. But Inception EXCEEDED my high expectations. From the first frame to the last, I could not look away. It gripped me and refused to let go. It was an experience I've never had beforeand likely will not have again until The Dark Knight Rises.
Inception's action scenes ranged from high quality to novel. Most of it was adrenaline pumping but otherwise unspectacularbut there were a few scenes that were entirely mind-boggling. I've heard people theorize that one of the fight scenes in particular (you'll know it when you see it) was Christopher Nolan's inception for Inception. Personally, I think his inception for Inception was the idea of stealing information from someone's mind through his or her dream—which eventually led to implanting information in someone's head through their dreams (inception) in an effort to obtain money or power. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. The inception for Inception?
Perhaps the only downside to this incredible film was that the second viewing was not as thrilling as the first; however, every consecutive viewing reveals a deeper dimension, another stroke of genius. The film is a complex mind-bender of epic proportions. It delves into psychological and philosophical concepts, and like many of the works of writer Philip K. Dick, repeatedly asks the question "What is real?" Throughout the film, Nolan spins this question in many different ways: Are dreams real? Can our minds make them real? Can we dream of being awake? Can we dream of dreams of being awake? Do we wake up when we dream? How do we know if we are awake or dreaming? What does "awake" really mean? At a subliminal level, all these questions were asked during the course of the movie. They make us think about the world around us, make us consider where we stand in the grand scheme of thingsand that is why Inception is truly a masterpiece. Hats off to Christopher Nolan for another exceptional film.