After all the anticipation and muted hype, Inception has finally entered the global consciousness and I’ve just got back from seeing it…
Official Synopsis:
Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan directs an international cast in an original sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the intimate and infinite world of dreams. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. This summer, your mind is the scene of the crime.
Fuck, where to even start! It’s been billed as a head fuck and be warned, if you’re one of those people who always needs to get up and have a piss half way through the movie, you’re likely to come back and not have a clue what’s going on! But stick with it and you’ll be rewarded. There isn’t much I can tell you about the story which isn’t already covered in the synopsis, that wouldn’t spoil the film.
So let’s talk about the cast, DiCaprio, despite my initial concerns, works very well in this film. Here we have the former teen pin up who is a joy to watch and has truly become a master of his trade, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pop up in future Nolan films.
Ellen Page of X-Men 3, Hardy Candy and Juno fame, I find incredibly annoying to watch (can’t quite put my finger on why though) and unfortunately little is done to change that opinion in this film. Although her role is pivotal to the story, I find her performance wholly forgettable.
A lot of people have commented on how good Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in the film and without denying his appearance it was Tom Hardy who stood out for me. Yep, the same Tom Hardy who appeared in the shitty Star Trek Nemesis seven years ago and gave possibly the worst performance of that year. Those days are long gone, the man is on fire – simply awesome to watch. I understand now why he was cast in the new Mad Max film(s) of which I now have a desire to watch!
There is also a great supporting cast of Cillian Murphy (who is really starting to grow on me), Ken Watanabe (his usual greatness, but perhaps underutilised) and appearances from Tom Berenger and Michael Caine.
By now we should all know Christopher Nolan’s work, from his small but genius beginnings on Memento to his mega-buster The Dark Knight, with a dash of Insomnia and The Prestige in-between, we should also all know by now that Nolan delivers the goods. And with Inception he really does, with spades! You would be forgiven for thinking Nolan was a time served veteran of Hollywood who had been kicking around for some time, but in truth he has only directed 10 films since 1997 – and look how far he’s come! Warner Brothers clearly have total confidence in the man and judging by the quality of his product, it’s easy to see why! Is this the best film ever? No. Will it make as much money as The Dark Knight? No – but I’m sure Nolan isn’t arsed about that. Is it the best film I’ve seen all year? Hmmm, maybe, I’m not sure. I is very good though and I think it will be a film that gets better with each watch.
So what didn’t I like about the film? Well, I thought the start was a bit sluggish and I also thought the snow capped mountains shoot out slowed the film down immensely, which is odd as it was an action packed scene. In terms of favourite Nolan films it probably comes fourth on my list after The Prestige, The Dark Knight and Memento. But after a few watches I imagine it will make it to the number 3 spot.
4 out of 5 stars
Post film – Something that has never happened to me before in the cinema, as the credits started rolling a lady who had been sat a few seats away asked me a genuine question, looking for an answer. I’d love to repeat as I nearly choked from laughter that the lady had clearly missed the point of the film, but sadly if I repeat it could potentially ruin the film for you. But when you sit there as the credits begin to roll you’ll know what I was asked.
On a separate note, I was mighty pissed off with two things -
- The screen I saw this in wasn’t a digitally projected screen (they were being used up by several showings of Shrek Forever After and the latest Twishight film for fucksake!).
- And I suppose this was the sound mixers fault rather than the cinemas’, but I could hardly hear what the actors where saying half of the time! The sound effects and music where plenty loud enough, so I can only put this down to a muddy mix. Poor and quite frankly I’m surprised Nolan has tolerated it!
Rant over.
11 Responses to “Chris’ review of Inception”