Inception

I had a hard time deciding if I’ll be writing a review for Inception or not. I don’t think I am good enough to write a review for a film like this but still I can’t help but give a space for this movie in my blog. The movie cannot be summarized by a line, paragraph, or even a review. It is something massive that can’t be analyze in one viewing alone. I’ve seen the movie only once and I’m still mazed.

The movie consists of several worlds layered on top of each other, and they all affect the physics of the next. It is a multi-layered journey into a constantly-changing dream worlds. It unlocked so many boxes that it is hard to label it with one genre. A piece of sci-fi, heist, action and psychological thriller. Sci-fi in a way it uses it’s imaginary and vast concept of dreams in creating a new world of ideas. Action movie because of fight scenes that whether real or imagined are given time, detail and disbelief. It is a thriller of the mind that won’t leave your head after viewing. It keeps you in constant suspense and constant shock. While the heist is in the creation of dream within dream within dream within dream (yes, multiple layers of dreams). It helps the hackers drill deep into their mark’s subconscious mind. The idea is that each nested dream happens more slowly than the one above it. You’re parsing four stories happening simultaneously, but at different timescales.

The director, Christopher Nolan make such a good job of creating worlds in this films. He mastered the arts of non-linear narrative, misdirection, and visually impressive scale then combines them all to create a masterpiece – Inception. He also crafted something unique and dynamic through the power of sheer story telling. His brilliant conception is outstanding. The story is fast pace full of exciting developments. Every location and every shot of the film is imaginative. The laws of gravity and physics are no longer apply. Cities folding up on itself, people can float, objects can move at any pace they want, time speed change. He created a world without rules. A world of dreams and imaginations floating at any given time.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Dominic “Dom” Cobb, delivers another outstanding performance. He can really handle mature and psychologically complex roles. He knows how to play people so torn up that they can barely even function as humans. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is exceptionally great in the role of Arthur. He is the epitome of professionalism. His gravity scene is one of the nice thing in this film. He gives the film the extra niche by not giving into the CGI. It makes the whole look of it quite real that we’re willing to submerge into this concept or idea behind it.

The final shot is cracking, it makes you think more. The debates weather Cobb’s is dreaming or in reality? and whether if the top (totem) starts to wobble or continue spinning is unending. But honestly, I don’t care much about the top. I don’t even believe that it is Cobb’s totem in the first place. At some point I ask – What If Cobb’s reality is nothing more than another dream level?

Finally, Inception is a clever film. It is incredibly original and extremely sophisticated. A genius in every level. From the script, direction, execution up to the performance. I won’t detail anymore how impressive this film is in each level but I love the fact that it requires us to actually engage with the film and keep thinking. It constantly bring questions that are brain melting, confusing, and fantastic. It give space where we can suspend reality and somehow makes us realize that dreams are essentially realistic. Inception is one of the best movies of 2010.