A modern masterpiece.

Rating: 10/10 (23 July 2010)

Only one or two films a year garner the utmost anticipation I have to give. Sure, there are plenty of movies I look forward to, but I'm talking about the kind of excitement that kicks in 12, maybe even 18 months prior to release, even before a trailer has hit the internet to whet my appetite. There's not many of those films, trust me. 2008 had The Dark Knight. Following in 09 was Transformers 2 then Avatar. So far the success rate of my grossly anticipated flicks reads: hit, miss, hit. Inception was due to be a miss. 'Due' being the keyword. 'Miss' most definitely not being the word to describe the result compared to my expectations.
The only thing more difficult than deciding which is better, the screenplay or the directing, is coming to grips with the fact they were both done by the same man. Christopher Nolan, take a bow. With a script that is reported to have been started ten years ago, Nolan has crafted intricate layer upon intricate layer with precision and cunning rarely seen before. The unique concept is (excuse the pun) mind-blowing in itself, but the way Nolan navigates through this universe is the truly genius part; aside from the one obvious 'movie miracle', Inception is grounded in enough reality that suspending belief has never been easier. In addition, and thanks to the freedom he was given by the studio after the uber-successful Dark Knight, Nolan has not jeopardised his vision by attempting to accommodate to the lowest common denominator in the movie-going public, this is an intellectually intense film that requires, and provokes, thought. I've always said that Reginald Rose's screenplay for 12 Angry Men is the greatest of all time, but this comes bloody close.
Behind the camera Nolan shows once again an unparalleled skill in the employment of sleight-of-hand visual techniques that were previously most apparent in his marvellous magicians tale, The Prestige. The meticulous care taken with details both big and small is felt in its entirety, there is absolutely no deadwood within his frame. If you can see it, then it is meant to be seen. Nolan shows you everything you need in order to unravel the story on your own, but is clever enough to manage it so you won't realise this until the movie has already finished. This is what makes him the phenomenal filmmaker he is today, the uncanny knack of ensuring his pictures are watchable over and over again.
Don't be fooled into thinking this isn't a 'blockbuster' though. The action scenes are second to none, as are the effects, both computer and practical. There is one particular physics-defying fight in a hotel that will have your jaw on the floor, akin to when Neo dodges bullets for the first time in The Matrix (Nolan has admitted the Wachowski Brothers' sci-fi flick was a heavy influence) or when Jake is flying his Mountain Banshee in Avatar. The CGI is utilised to magnificent effect, the sight of a Paris street curling up on top of itself or the more subtle zero-gravity sequence are just two of many awe-inspiring moments thanks to the flawless computer graphics. There must be something said regarding Nolan's choice to not go down the 3D route too. He proves that you don't have to use the extra dimension to generate a visually stunning movie-going experience and that the future of cinema isn't exclusively synonymous with the third dimension, 2D will always have a place.
Leonardo DiCaprio solidifies his position as one of the finest actors of our time with his portrayal of guilt-ridden dream thief, Dom Cobb. There's no clear cut line as to whether he is good or bad, only he has made mistakes and will continue to do so, as all humans do. The most important, and interesting, thing is how a person deals with their mistakes and DiCaprio knows this, subsequently providing Cobb with emotional depth in his ambiguous actions / decisions and keeping us intrigued along the way. Fantastically there's no weak link in his supporting cast either: Page proves she can excel despite being out of her 'quirky' comfort zone, Gordon-Levitt is sharp as Cobb's tightly-wound right hand man, Brit up-and-comer Hardy is electric as the flashier member of the team, Cotillard is engrossing as Cobb's dangerous subconscious and Murphy brilliantly plays against type as the vulnerable target who elicits sympathy.
Nolan has, without a shadow of doubt in my mind nor any hesitation that this may be a giddy knee-jerk reaction, created a modern masterpiece. Cinematic history informs me that a key factor in becoming a 'classic' is whether or not it can stand the test of time, well Inception has forgone that piece of criteria and has immediately adopted its rightful position in the highest echelon of motion pictures.
5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Ordinary, 3 - Good, 4 - Excellent, 5 - Classic)