A Colossal, Mind-Bending Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (17 July 2010)

Christopher Nolan's one of the best directors working today. So my expectations were understandably high for his latest, Inception. Even with hefty expectations, I was still blown away. I'll need to see it one or two more times to unravel all of the plot intricacies, but I honestly believe that this is Nolan's best film to date. Yes, I think that Inception's better than The Dark Knight and Memento. I adore The Dark Knight and Memento, so this isn't just high praise, it's astronomical.
Here's a brief plot summary. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a corporate espionage agent with a very specific area of expertise; stealing people's ideas through their dreams. Dom and his partner Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are hired by their previous target Saito (Ken Watanabe) to perform an even more difficult task; inception, the planting of an idea in someone's subconscious to the point where they believe it to be their own. Dom assembles his team; researcher Arthur, architect Ariadne (Ellen Page), forger Eames (Tom Hardy), chemist Yusef (Dileep Rao) and Saito himself, who is tagging along to protect his investment. However, Dom's subconscious could threaten the entire team, especially with the memory of his wife Mal (Marion Cotillard) being a less-than-helpful saboteur. Suffice to say that, when the mission finally gets under way, not everything goes according to plan
Films as rich, multi-layered and compelling as Inception rarely come along. This film is full of intelligent ideas and questions about illusions and reality (much like the hugely under-appreciated Shutter Island from earlier this year, which also starred DiCaprio). However, it is also a riveting action thriller, with thrilling, jaw-dropping action sequences and unforgettable images. Think you've seen all the visual effects? Wait until you witness the iconic moment in which Ariadne bends the Paris cityscape on top of itself. Think you're seen all the action sequences? Wait until you devour the extraordinary zero-gravity fight in a hotel corridor between Arthur and an armed goon. This is majestic entertainment.
The tortured love story at its centre gives Inception much-needed heart. This is largely due to the exceptional performances of DiCaprio and Cotillard. DiCaprio is effortless here; this is all the more impressive, as the whole film rests on his shoulders. If he goes down, so does the film. DiCaprio never exaggerates his portrayal of a man who is carrying deep emotional scars, instead hinting at his pain through his expressions and body language. In a early sequence, whilst Cobb is describing the business of mind defence to Saito, he holds his arms and hands out like a box in front of him. This not only shows the prison of the mind which Dom must break into, but also symbolises his own emotional entrapment. It is this kind of subtle behaviour which defines DiCaprio's performance. It is also notable that he doesn't try to overshadow his co-stars. This is another superlative piece of work from DiCaprio, following his haunting performance in Shutter Island. Cotillard, on the other hand, is the tragic heart of Inception. Beautiful and menacing at the same time, Cotillard is gracefully strong in her role. She is a truly alluring presence, and together she and DiCaprio bring an electrifying pulse of humanity to Inception.
Gordon-Levitt's brilliant; he brings great authority to his role and constantly gained my attention. Also, he's rewarded with the zero-gravity fight sequence. Hardy is charming and bad-ass; his bickering with Gordon-Levitt is one of the film's highlights. Page brings intelligence and wit to her role; at one point, she wonders out loud, "whose subconscious are we in, exactly?" Ariadne is the audience, constantly wondering whether we are in reality or the dream world. Watanabe is quietly dignified and cunning; we often wonder whether to trust Saito, and Watanabe seizes that ambiguity. Cillian Murphy brings a hitherto unseen emotional depth to his performance here as the target of the team, whilst Rao also impresses. Even Michael Caine and Tom Berenger appear in minor but pivotal roles, and both do great work, with Berenger in particular succeeding in a tricky role.
Technically, this is one of the most extraordinary films I have ever experienced. Hans Zimmer's mind-blowing musical score and the wonderfully free, wide cinematography by Wally Pfister both give the film an epic scope which compliments the potential of dreams to transport us to a world beyond mundane reality. And what else can be said about the visual effects? They are mind-bogglingly beautiful to behold. Also, a big shout out to editor Lee Smith. Especially in the last hour, where events in the different layers of the dream world are simultaneously playing out on screen, Smith's editing gives the film perfect fluidity and immediacy. This film runs for around two and a half hours, and it moves like a bullet all the way to the conclusion.
Inception's a visionary, muscular and mesmerising work of genius, with excellent performances, gorgeous imagery, heart-pounding action, a terrific screenplay from Nolan and his brother Jonathan, a stunning score and intelligent discussions about the human mind and the pain that it sometimes struggles to abandon. The final shot's pitch-perfect, questioning the fine line between what is perceived by the mind as reality and what is truly the real world, without going for the easy twist that one might expect. Mr. Nolan is far too clever for that, and he is too respectful of his audience and their intelligence. His craftsmanship and imagination in a world filled with generic, seen-it-all-before films isn't only commendable; it is awe-inspiring. Inception is easily the best film of the year so far, and it will be hard to top. It deserves multiple Oscar nominations in both the technical categories and the big ones such as Best Picture and Best Director. If this film isn't on my top ten list of the decade come 2020, this decade is going to have to have been one incredible period of creativity, ambition and sheer ingenuity at the cinema.