Inception - Movie Review

Extraction - remove, usually with some force or effort.

Inception - origin: an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events.

In Christopher Nolan's world, dreams are a place for espionage. Dreaming has become militarized. The science of dreaming has been broken down into the most basic elements and then manipulated in order to extract secrets. It is a concept used by corporations to steal secrets. This process is known as Extraction. The complex process requires a specially trained team.

There are many dangers associated with extraction. Dreams are populated by other people, which are extensions (or projections) of the dreamer. Information can be extracted simply through conversations with these projections. But the good stuff is normally stored in some structure created by the dreamer. It might be a bank safe or even a heavily guarded fortress. Those who hold big corporate secrets are generally given training to aid in combating the extractors. The projections act as white blood cells, sniffing out foreign invaders and gradually becoming aggressive toward intruders. As extractors change and manipulate the dream world, the projections will eventually attack and often even kill.

Exiting someone else's dream may be easy enough. If a projection kills you, you simply wake up. Alternatively, a "kick" may be used. This is the process of creating the sense of falling in the extractor. Either process is effective during a routine extraction. However, as extractors test the limits of the dreamscape, they go deeper and deeper, layering dreams within dreams. This process requires heavy sedation. You do not want to get killed inside a complex dream while heavily sedated. Otherwise, your dream will become mush.

Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the elite among extractors. His ability to delve deeper and deeper into the recesses of the dream world are unparalleled. He is also a wanted man. Cobb is suspected of killing his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard). Cobb brings baggage with him on his dream voyages that constantly jeopardize his missions. He has unsettled business that he really needs to confront. His most recent failure to extract from Saito (Ken Watanabe) had interference from projections that Cobb brought into the dream himself. Following this failure, Cobb is enlisted to assist Saito in a new mission. Inception.

This sets the stage for a complex operation that can be best described in the words of Winston Churchill as "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." Before the layers of an onion can be peeled back, they first must be created. This creation is done by an architect that deals in a world that has the ability to fold over on top of itself. A world where Escher's Penrose Staircase exists. Architects that deal in the realm of impossible are hard to find, but Cobb has found one in a young student named Ariadne (Ellen Page). Together with his other team members, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Eames (Tom Hardy) and Yusuf (Dileep Rao), Cobb intends to accomplish his last mission and return to the United States to watch his children grow up.

What made this plot work for me was the trouble that Nolan went to in creating a hypothesis that could work. Nolan carefully crafted the rules and then allowed for exceptions. Nolan layered the complex mission into a place he built from layer to layer, creating a seemingly credible foundation for events to unfold. We are given a brief peek into the present at the beginning of the film, so we are eventually able to grasp where the film is going. Layering dream upon dream creates a convoluted sense of reality that provides Nolan an opportunity to taunt the audience. It is a gimmick that could have failed miserably if done cheaply. But Nolan provides enough additional material to make the concept work.

In addition to a unique and interesting plot (as well as an intriguing journey into a world created in the mind), Nolan did a decent job of character development. Due to the number of characters, we sometimes end up with broad brush strokes, but key characters are given the necessary development to engage the audience. I would have liked to have known a little bit more about a couple of the other characters (Saito, Arthur and Ariadne) but was given enough to at least hold my interest. The dialogue was another aspect of the writing that appealed to me. It was not perfect, but still rich. Developing a concept from nothing allowed Nolan to create his own lexicon, which he used deftly. That kept the dialogue fresh enough to be engaging. Overall, the writing had a little bit of room for improvement but offered plenty to rave about.

With a cast that includes cameos by stellar staples like Michael Caine, Pete Postlewaithe and Tom Berenger, Inception was easily packed with talent. I used to despise myself for enjoying DiCaprio's performances, but he keeps delivering. As long as he doesn't try to fake a Boston accent we will be alright. Gordon-Levitt has done some decent films in the past. With his performance in Inception limited (I wanted more character development) I felt he was not given an opportunity to shine...but I still enjoyed his performance. Inception maximized its impact with a stellar cast.

Inception is another "big special effects" Hollywood production. That is not necessarily bad. Inception requires the special effects to help tell the story. It is the very fabric of creating a dreamworld where architecture finds itself confined only by the imagination. The deconstruction of a world, the illusion and interaction in a world manipulated by your capacity for imagination, the creation of surreal dreamscapes...are all reliant on special effects that can sell the concept. Inception needed great special effects and delivered abundantly. Slow motion effects enhanced the concept of imploding dreams, reality was woven around the impossible and illusion delights the eye. What an incredible concept. Special effects that actually enhance the film, rather than a film that relies on special effects to stand out. Refreshing.

Inceptionrenewed my faith in Hollywood at a time when film was beginning to become drab. It was not perfect, but it was definitely unique, engaging and enjoyable. Nolan weaves together an original story with amazing special effects an all-star cast and strong dialogue. I was a bit disappointed with some of the character development...there were some characters I just did not care much about. But beyond that, the film was intriguing. I would highly recommend seeing this film at the theater where you can get the full effect of the special effects on the big screen, if you are lucky enough to get it on a throwback night. It will be a treat that you won't regret (if you are in to this type of film). This film has received plenty of 5/5 or 10/10 ratings (IMDb has it a 8.8)...I will break (slightly) from the pack with 8/10.

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