Inception (2010)

“What's the most resilient parasite? An Idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules. Which is why I have to steal it.”

While the world waits for the next Batman film to follow 2008’s spectacular Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan satisfies with Inception, a thought-provoking thriller I expect will keep movie-goers talking for weeks to come. Imdb.com users currently have Inception scored as the third greatest film of all time, a little generous I think, but it proves the sheer excitement the public is gaining for an original film.

The film’s plot involves Cobb (Leonardo Dicaprio), an expert in dreams who possesses a gnawing guilt that drives him to use his craft for stealing the deep thoughts only found in our dreams. He is soon asked by a client (Ken Watanabe) to do the unthinkable: create a thought in someone’s mind. The payment is key to Cobb, and he accepts this request with the help of a newly assembled team including his partner, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a student of dreams (Ellen Page), a quick-witted con-man of sorts (Tom Hardy ), and a chemist (Dileep Rao). The cast is full of names and familiar faces, but the screen never feels cluttered with stars. Though Gordon-Levitt and Page are young stars in comparison to the rest of the cast, they hold their own; both portray their own maturity and intelligence in their performance. Ahh, intelligence, what a rarity in recent years.

Delving into the philosophy of dreams and the true nature of reality is a common trope in recent films, but with Inception it feels fresh. I account for this with the additional idea that our reality is reflected in our dreams. If a character feels rain on his face, waves come through his dream. How to determine reality over a dream is an extremely important part of Inception, a plot device so clever I would feel dastardly to try to explain it. Christopher Nolan’s incredible amount of time and thought shows with these touches, allowing this film to be whole and also prompt questions and discussion.

With Inception we are given an action movie with brains. Each turn this maze takes is both exhilarating and perplexing, yet the viewers rarely seem to become completely lost. Yes, this film involves complete attention and thought, but shouldn’t that be a given while watching a movie? Viewers may discover more upon a second viewing, and the ride is just as enjoyable this second time.

As I left the theater, a close friend remarked, “This is what The Matrix should have been.” Perhaps this is true. This movie is far too complete to follow suit with an “Inception 2,” and if such an idea becomes reality I will be incredibly disappointed.

Rating: ★★★★