Cert 12A, 145 minutes
By Graham Taylor
If you don’t already fall to your knees and worship the legend that is Christopher Nolan, you soon will after seeing his latest masterpiece, the cerebral, exciting and engaging epic that will be the only thing you’ll be able to talk about for weeks after seeing it. And you will see it again.
Blending multiple genres such as action, thriller, drama, romance and mind bender all into one perfectly shaped film is a hard task, but Nolan is known for pushing the boundaries of mainstream cinema, and with Inception, he again succeeds in mixing together all the elements, and making them fizz with energy and verve.
He may be a genius behind the camera, but to cement the terrific script, you need actors who can really pull off the hard- to- get- your- head- around content. Thankfully, he hired such terrific stars as Leonardo DiCaprio (on fine form this year with the excellent Shutter Island), Marion Cottilard, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Tom Hardy. When watching Inception, you can’t help but feel that any other actor wouldn’t have been able to make this tough, thought provoking material work because they all give excellent performances.
DiCaprio is front and centre as Dom Cobb, the world’s best Extractor. He can enter anyone’s dreams, have the subject fill it with their secrets, and then he and his team are able to steal the idea. Instead of extraction, Cobb is hired by the mysterious Japanese businessman Saito (Ken Watanabe) to plant an idea into the mind of his business rival, Robert Fisher (Cillian Murphy)- this is the art of Inception, and it’s supposedly impossible to achieve. But Saito offers Cobb a deal he can’t refuse, as it may allow him to finally achieve his dream (revealing any more would enter spolier territory) so he sets about on this impossible task.
Cobb’s storyline is emotionally engaging and well played out throughout the film and he’s supported well by Cottilard as his deceased wife who haunts his dreams, but the film’s main plot is just as intriguing and unpredictable. You’ll leave the cinema asking more questions than you came in with- Inception’s plot has been kept tightly under wraps before the release, so not many knew what to expect- as this really is the ultimate mind bender.
Despite the film’s neverending twists, Inception is never overly complex. Even if you don’t catch everything (I’d be surprised if anyone did, even Nolan himself), the main storyline is easy to follow, and just as emotionally involving. And if you just want to watch stuff blow up and some really killer action, Inception is just as a big a treat. The script, cinematography, special effects and especially the direction are excellent, and that will please you even more- this is no Clash of the Titans, that’s for sure.
There are many things that you could say are problems for the film. First of all, many of the characters backstories are never revealed. But it seems this is how Nolan wants it; the film is all about our perceptions of things, and throughout, we get to know the characters, and from that we presume about their previous lives. Also, the lack of definitive answers may irritate some, but excite others. It also leaves lots open for a likely sequel, one which many will be begging for.
But the best thing about Inception is the fact it’s an original film that’s showing Hollywood that us moviegoers enjoy tricksy, clever, exciting fare that isn’t just based off of a comic book, TV show or book. All hail Nolan.