the idea of an idea

Rating: 9/10 (18 July 2010)

If you wake from a dream only to find yourself in another dream, the idea of an elusive reality can take hold and propagate like a virus, never giving up. An idea, that most resilient of all parasites, that can give purpose to existence, or tear it to pieces.
Thats the central premise behind Nolan's latest mind-bender, 'Inception'. It becomes fairly obvious from the start that one needs to grab a thread and hold it tight lest you lose yourself in a maze of dreams. As a cinematic production, the film is layered with genres across the board. It operates on some levels as a thriller, on others as a romantic drama, and some ingenious action sequences quite rightly push it well into the action category as well. But to qualify this feature into genres would be a mistake. For while the movie revolves around a curious plot involving corporate espionage, it reveals a surprisingly Freudian affection towards the various dream states and their influence on our subconscious. One would be forgiven to call it a thrilling study on the possibilities of dreams and the movement of ideas, to and from these dreams, into the human subconscious.
DiCaprio brings an understated tenderness to his character, which is why i suspect Nolan picked him over the equally talented and oft-used Bale. Gordon-Levitt leads a strong supporting cast, along with the ever-cute Ellen Page. Cotillard deserves a special mention for the haunting presence of a captivating wraith, dwelling inside Caprio's mind as a promised escape as well as a vengeful curse. What's most impressive is how deeply the cast believes in the world of dreams they inhabit. DiCaprio's expression on Page's especially inspired physics-bending trick in Paris is priceless. Even the old hat at dreams confesses himself impressed.
This movie is a must-see, not for it's 'entertainment' value, but for the sake of an exhilarating new experience, quite like the ones we find in an alternative 'reality' buried too deep to be recalled later.