Inception
A thief who steals corporate secrets through use of dream-sharing
technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind
of a CEO.
Director:
Christopher NolanWriter:
Christopher NolanStars:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page | See full cast and crew »Storyline
Dom Cobb 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.
User Reviews
Nolan at his most intelligent best.
Inception is truly one
of a kind. A concept which has long gestated in Christopher Nolan's
mind, his eye for drama mixed with his large scale sensibilities ring
true in Blockbuster season making Inception a true original in the sea
of reboots, remakes and sequels.
To try and explain Inceptions
many plot twists and incredibly intelligent arcs, would be a foolish
task. As Nolan himself has been reluctant to. The best way to approach
the film would be with an open mind, if you are prepared to be taken on a
ride of a lifetime, then trust that you 100% will. If Avatar was a
seminal film in technology (although coming out as a rather poor film,
in my opinion), then Inception is seminal in it's storytelling. With a
148 minute running time, you would expect a lot to take place, but what
you wouldn't expect is the pace of it all. I did not think at one time
in the film about how long was left. I was simply blown away by the
depth in every single part of the film. If my enthusiasm for the
storytelling aspect of the film has left you worried about the
spectacle, then don't worry. They are, as hinted in the trailer,
incredible, looking real and unbelievable simultaneously. The most
pleasing thing about the action set pieces, is that they are genuinely
used to illustrate the story, rather than to blow stuff up a la Michael
Bay.
With this complex movie in it's high concept, a stellar cast
is needed. And Nolan as always, delivers with just that. This is
vintage DiCaprio, perhaps only equalled in The Aviator, which is even
more impressive as his role as Cobb in Inception is not a showy one,
needing DiCaprio to be the constant at the centre of the film. And he
pulls off Cobb's emotional contradictions sublimely. The rest of the
cast members all shine in parts of the films, Cillian Murphy shows off
his usually non-existent tender side, Gordon-Levitt bottles his usual
charm for his confidently reserved turn as the reliable Arthur, Watanabe
is devilish as the seemingly ambiguous Saito, Page shows why she's the
next big female star and Tom Hardy revels in being the comic relief of
the film compared to his recent turns as decidedly psychopathic
characters.
Overall, Nolan has indeed surpassed himself. He has
created a world as expansive as his Gotham, a plot dwarfing the
intricacies of Memento and one which blows The Prestige's cinematic
reveal out of the water. This is truly unmissable cinema. Revel in it,
we've still got to wait a whole two years before Batman 3.