Inception

Release Date: July 16, 2010

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis: In a world where dreams are equally, if not more important than reality, a thief has a chance at redemption when he is offered the task of completing Inception: the process of planting an idea into one’s mind in order to create a desired outcome. Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and his band of highly intelligent and skilled thieves (Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Tom Hardy) attempt Inception upon a young billionare (Cillian Murphy) in order for the head of a rival company to rise to power (Ken Watanabe). Will Cobb and his crew achieve Inception, or will the memories of Cobb’s wife (Marion Cotillard) threaten to derail the ultimate heist?

Review: Let me start off by saying that for the most part, I will see just about everything Christopher Nolan directs or writes and anything that Leonardo DiCaprio stars in. Nolan has this insane ability to somehow make deeply psychologically twisted marketable to the masses. From what I’ve read, this particular script took him nearly ten years to complete, and he only had DiCaprio in mind for the role of Cobb. That being said, I am a huge fan of this film.

            The first time I saw Inception a friend and I went to the midnight showing, so I was absolutely exhausted. Seeing it again really made me appreciate the artistry in crafting this story. Nolan has said he is fascinated by the dreaming process, and how our minds create the bizarre scenarios, some of which are vivid and frighteningly realistic. He pays an incredibly close attention to detail, some of which goes way over my head (such as certain things characters say in passing that turn out to be of the utmost importance, different colored clothing, etc).

            Each person was cast perfectly, and most from Nolan’s “stock” of actors (Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe). I was a bit hesitant to see Ellen Page take on a more serious role, after the likes of Juno and Whip It, but I thought she handled herself well. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an actor I really enjoy watching, so I’m glad that this film has helped him land a few more roles. He plays the suave sidekick with the necessary sophistication and intensity. I wish Tom Hardy’s character would have had a bit more screen time, but since he has been cast as the new villain in “The Dark Knight Rises”, I’m sure we’ll get to see a lot more of him.

            The visual effects in this film were stunning. Creepy and a bit bizarre, but stunning. They perfectly exemplified the vivid imagery of our dreams without being hokey or stupid; it greatly enhanced the story. I also loved how there were times where you didn’t know what was a dream and what was reality (hint according to imdb.com: In all the dream sequences, Cobb is wearing his wedding ring. In reality sequences, he is not). I didn’t find myself getting too confused, which was refreshing for a film with this subject matter and interweaving story lines.

            The ending of the story was relatively light hearted compared to the rest fo the film, but I thought it fit well. You felt relief right along with Cobb when his children turned around to see him, and it was nice to see everyone happily go their separate ways, unsure of when they would meet again.

            If you haven’t seen this movie, go rent it right now. It’s a must have for any movie collection!