Worth a second viewing...and probably a third

Rating: 8/10 (9 August 2010)

Although "Inception" is certainly an entertaining film, I suspect that Christopher Nolan's primary purpose in creating this labyrinthine and intriguing work of cinematic art was not entertainment. I believe Nolan wants to provoke our preconceived notions of reality and self-will and tease us with the idea that we can never be certain of the nature of reality—or our ability to conceive an idea wholly independently. The plot of this film is almost beside-the-point—that's not to say, however, that it isn't clever or exciting. It is in fact a complex tapestry of narrative layers and dreams within dreams, dreams that feature characters who engage in the legendary struggle between passion and reason. But the plot and the characters are there merely as tools that allow Nolan to examine his grand themes. I've seen this film just once, but I strongly suspect that a second viewing will yield a far more satisfying experience.