Review: Inception

Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the world's greatest extractor. He has the ability to enter, navigate, and manipulate people's dreams. He is also a fugitive from American justice, so when he is given the chance for a clean slate, he jumps at the opportunity. He is hired to perform "inception," the planting of an idea inside someone's dream so later they believe they came up with it themselves.

The movie boasts an all-star cast including Joseph Gordon Levitt, Marion Cottilard, Tom Hardy, and Ken Watanabe. Cillian Murphy's mark's character arc is the face of a movie. Essentially, the film works as a visual depiction for Murphy's emotional healing after the death of his father, although the audience knows there are interlopers pushing the plot forward. DiCaprio and Cottillard pull ahead from the pack. Their grief stricken relationship serves as the emotional backbone of this thriller that at times comes off very blunt and cold, as do many of the characters. Their development is not well defined, but their personalities and roles are instantly recognizable and relatable from the get-go.

What it lacks in impressive character structure, it more than makes up for in crafty story-telling and dazzling direction. Inception has the body of a big budget blockbuster getting all they can out of gunfire, explosions, and some very surreal moments of destruction and has the mind of an independent art-film as it descends through dreamscape levels depicting incredibly cerebral motifs. The ever changing gothic architecture is absolutely stunning. The surreal nature of the cityscapes keeps your eyes glued to the screen. These two very different genres are woven elegantly together making an intelligent neo-noir with the feeling of a heist flick, except they arn't stealing anything, they are planting something.

With any complex science fiction story, it is important to introduce the set of rules that dictate the premise. Nolan's seems like his will be very complicated, but the script does well to explain them in a clear and well-paced manner. Ellen Page's addition as the new member of the group allows DiCaprio to basically lecture her on the aspects of this dream-entering procedure. It is much more simple and concise than its confusing reputation implies. The last scene will have you scratching your head long after the credits are finished rolling.

Christopher Nolan has raised the bar for the rest of the year. His seamless crafting of cerebral intelligence and exciting visuals is what makes Nolan one of the finest directors working today. Inception has treat for both the eyes and the mind delivering something for everyone.

10/10