Nolan's and Zimmer's Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2014)

Inception constantly invites you to marvel in expertise, both that of the characters and the filmmakers themselves-- Wally Pfister's camera work, Hans Zimmer's score, Chris Corbould's visual effects are all unparalleled and utilized beautifully. The story has tremendous emotional payoff near the end, and there is great satisfaction in merely watching the team come together as equals, but it's hard not to wish for something more from the smaller characters. Gordon-Levitt, Page and particularly Hardy make strong impacts in their limited roles, as does Michael Caine in what amounts to a glorified cameo, but for the large part they are merely eloquent pieces of a particularly impressive machinery.
The movies often seem to come from the recycling bin these days: Sequels, remakes, franchises. "Inception" does a difficult thing. It is wholly original, cut from new cloth, and yet structured with action movie basics so it feels like it makes more sense than (quite possibly) it does. Christopher Nolan reinvented "Batman." This time he isn't reinventing anything. Yet few directors will attempt to recycle "Inception." I think when Nolan left the labyrinth, he threw away the map.
'Inception' is a stunning score. Expectations are high when Hans Zimmer is attached to a project. He has delivered many of the great scores of the last twenty years. The pieces often take their time to tell their stories. This adds to the tension of the music. There is so much emotion in this score that it is impossible to ignore it even when playing in the background. But be careful. When you finish the album, take a look around you. Play 'Non, Je ne Regrette Rien' in your ears one more time. Because hey, you never know. Pleasant dreams.
And if there's a song that I must talk about... 'Time'. It is, without question, the most important, most beautiful and most evocative piece in the score (and personally the best piece I have ever heard in my life). It begins simply – a piano plays chords as a throbbing beat hums behind it. The passengers wake up on the plane. However, despite the success, despite the rescue and despite reality returning, there really is only one story at work – Cobb's return and absolution. So, the piece holds its tension. This tension, however, has changed. People are not falling off bridges, or hanging in elevator shafts, or even living to old age in the blink of an eye. This is about one man coming home to his children. The piece becomes a theme that is stated, repeated and played in variation. The emotion it stirs as you walk with Cobb, first through the airport, then through security and finally into his home is indescribable. The clear ringing of the horns as his victory is realised could only be described as truly epic. It reminds the listener of Zimmer's earlier work, particularly Gladiator, in tone. The piece then fades down as he sees his two children from behind, as he has so many times through the film. He places the spinning top on the table. The other instruments fall away completely now and the piano is left playing single notes, no longer chords. Everything has fallen by the wayside. His children turn to face him and they smile. When the strings end and the camera pans away from this reunion, the score gives us one last nod as the music flips up into a sharp crescendo. The top is still spinning, with a small wobble.
All in all, Inception is probably the best movie I have watched in my entire life.