Inception: Spoiler-Free Review

I believe it's the first time I've posted more than one review within a week, discounting less-legal movie experiences. Let's get moving.

The trailer for Inception has been circulating like hot gossip since it's err, inception, and I haven't seen or heard anyone call it anything less than stellar. Sporting an ensemble cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Berenger to name a few, it's also produced by two of the three people who brought you The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan and (the less-hyped) Emma Thomas.

It's been a while since I went into a movie with big expectations (Avatar, The Dark Knight, Iron Man 2, Transformers), and they've been mixed experiences to say the least. Coming into Inception though, I was already expecting big things from the trailer and from a friend's tweet that went something like "INCEPTION IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER MADE OMFG". Granted, some people can go over the top with snap judgments on big movies after watching them, but I usually trust his taste. Usually.

You know how some films seem very disjointed or fragmented, and when it all falls into place, when everything clicks, you get that one defining moment of "Whoa"? Yeah, that's what you get here. The feeling that the movie is purposefully made to boggle the mind and leave you on the very brink of understanding permeates throughout, with a multi-layered (in more ways than one) plot and complex characters. With so much going on, though, it doesn't race ahead of the viewers' ability to understand the intricacies of the world of Inception, the rules of the game and how everything fits together.

Nearly everything is either open to logical and reasonable assumptions come the end, or explained really well anyway during the 140+ minutes of the film. Another plus, I hate movies that are under two hours. Didn't expect anything less though, given the sheer scope of this project.

DiCaprio gives a really good performance (as usual) of Cobb, someone gifted in the art of corporate espionage, with secrets to hide as well as uncover. But then he almost always delivers, as just about every one of his films have shown. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, of 3rd Rock and 10 Things and 500 Days acclaim (what's with the numbers?) is an actor I've always enjoyed watching, and I believe this is the first time I've seen him in a big-budget action movie, and he more than stepped up. Ellen Page is another one I really like, from Hard Candy to Juno and even her cameo in X-Men. There's Michael Caine, ever elegant and captivating, even if his screen time is limited. Ken Watanabe and his iconic accent and steely gaze also does brilliantly. It dawned on me near the end that Cillian Murphy is actually The Scarecrow from Nolan's Batman films too.

Batman count:
Christopher Nolan/Emma Thomas
Alfred
Scarecrow
Impostor Ra's Al Ghul

One thing evident from the trailer is that the score is big and epic. During the film, too, the music sets the eerie and surreal tone that everything else explores. It inspires awe and takes your breath away, together with the stunning visuals and heart-racing action. I actually caught myself on the edge of my seat, holding my breath in anticipation a couple of times. Even the humor that's placed in the dialogue works, and doesn't take away or detract from anything, unlike some other examples.

Perhaps the best thing about the movie is the way it got an entire theatre to go "Oh shiiiiiiiiit" at the same time, myself and lovely companion included. That was quite awesome. The only thing that bugged me is how the ending is desperately similar to another DiCaprio movie (I won't say which), but then it isn't exactly a bad thing. Makes you think, like the rest of the movie. Definitely not a brainless film, far from it. You have to think about almost everything that takes place, and even then you might be debating it with others for a while. In a good way.

In the end, Inception is a mind-blowing movie that might not be mind-blowingly good, but comes damn close. Definitely one of the best movies in recent memory, and obvious puns about how it's a dream movie aside, it's definitely something that everyone should watch. As I said to a friend after the film,

"It's awesome. Sit down, shut up, pay attention, think about it, and enjoy."

Can't really go wrong with Jack, Juno, Tommy, Katsumoto, Scarecrow and Alfred in The Matrix eh?