Inception (2010)

When writer/director Christopher Nolan was figuring out this film, I'm pretty sure he said multiple times,"Oh look. There's a stake we haven't raised yet. Let's raise it."

Inception is a dramatic, action-packed, science fiction, thriller of a heist film. So if you were looking for mindless summer blockbuster entertainment, run away. You need to go into watching this one knowing that your brain will be running the gambit.

Mine likes to wander off sometimes when I'm watching a movie. I'll start thinking about what other movies I've seen these actors in, or why they chose to light that scene like that, or, if the film is especially not engaging, things I should be doing instead of watching this movie.

Inception did not let me wander to any of those places. My attention was completely wrapped up for all 148 minutes of it. Plus, with how they mess with the concept of time, it doesn't even feel like 148 minutes. Actually, it doesn't feel like any specific amount of time. At the end I had no idea how long I was sitting there. And I wanted to see it again.

As others have said, it's not an easy movie to describe without having to say too much, but here's the premise. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) leads a team that steals ideas out of people's dreams, usually in the name of corporate espionage. After trying to prove they can do it undetected to energy company head Saito (Ken Watanabe), Saito offers them a job doing the much tougher opposite--inception. He wants them to plant the idea of breaking up his dying father's energy empire into the mind of Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy). Cobb's point man Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has reservations about it, but Cobb insists it can be done. If they can do it, Saito will make sure Cobb can see his children again.

There's no standalone star here, even if Leo is on the poster. Instead it's a great ensemble--so much so it reminded me that there should really be a Best Acting Ensemble award at the Oscars. A solid team makes for such a more enjoyable and easier to get lost in film. Ellen Page who plays the team's new architect even manages to remove most of her Juno-esque line delivery and falls right in with the rest of the crew. Marion Cotilliard as Cobb's wife, Mal, pulls off being both caring and menacing. Tom Hardy (Eames, the forger) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's banter is amusing without becoming tedious. And Dileep Rao as Yusuf the chemist plays the science guy without resorting to a stereotype.

In fact, the whole movie follows the balance you see in the acting. It has strange concepts without getting too trippy. The special effects are amazing without relying too much on CGI. Dialogue moves the story along and informs without hit-you-over-the-head narration. There's a lot of chase scenes without it becoming tiring. Even with some comparing it in ways to The Matrix, the whole thing just feels so fresh. Although the best part of all when I saw it was the collective noise most of the audience made at the end. It's a brilliant move.

Of course, as with most things, if you think about certain elements long enough you can start to pick it apart. But don't do that. Just enjoy the ride.

Rating: 5/5

Recommended for: Its elegant complexity