Inception review

PJ Reviews:

Inception

The movie is written and directed by the man who brought us the re-imagining of Batman, Memento, The Prestige and a few more flicks that have shaken the world of a lot of people. Christopher Nolan is maybe one of the best directors out there at the moment, there’s no doubt about that, but what he has given us here is a masterpiece. Inception wasn’t the best movie I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t perfect either. But the sum of the entire movie ended up being so awesome, that I really didn’t care.

(READ THIS: If you don’t want to be spoiled, just skip down to The Last Words. Not that there are major spoilers in here, but I do go in to some detail here.)

Inception follows the character Cobb, played by one of my favorite actors of all time: Leonardo DiCaprio. He is the leader of a team of people who can use chemicals to access someone’s dreams. First let me talk about the team. Noah Antwiler has given the perfect example in his own review where he talked about an analysis that he read about the movie. Those of you who have seen the movie will find that it absolutely fits. The entire movie is basically a way of explaining of how making a movie works. Leo is the director. Then there’s his team. Arthur, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the executive producer who makes sure everything keeps going, makes sure everything is going right and so on. Ariadne, played by Ellen Page, is the screenwriter. In the movie she is the architect of the dream world, which I will go in to later. Eames, played by Tom Hardy is the jack of all trades muscle, who does all the dirty work but who is also an expert on everything. Yusuf, played by Ken Watanabe is the producer who delivers the money. In other words, he’s the man behind the mission that Cobb needs to do. See where I was going with this?
Now, these people can use chemicals to access somebody’s dream and move around in it freely. Not only that, but they can manipulate the dream, create an entire world and steal ideas from these people. That is what Cobb does. At one point, he is offered a job by Yusuf, who can offer him the one thing that nobody in the world can. Because that is the one thing that Cobb wants the most, he accepts and goes on to his most dangerous mission as of yet.
The ways these dreams work is well worked out, if you ask me. Not everything about it is fully explained, but there was no real need to do so. Because there already was so much exposition in there. The movie is about shared dreaming. Taking one person to be the host, another person can create an entire world in their mind. A world that the host can fill with Projections, imaginary people that are basically the host’s subconscious mind. The cool thing is that the device that injects the chemicals and connects the people can also be used inside the dream, thus creating a dream within a dream. This dream within a dream works the same way as a normal dream, thus being a deeper level of the person’s subconscious. Now, what these people usually do is go in to people’s minds and steal information. Yusuf however wants something else. He wants the almost impossible. He wants to plant an idea instead of take it.
Whoever wrote this has to really have thought this through. I haven’t seen something so simple yet so complicated in a long, long while.
With all of that said, I really haven’t said anything. There’s just so much more to this movie that you just have to see it for yourself.
Some critics have said that this movie confused them and that the average moviegoer would have a lot of trouble to keep track of what’s going on. Not really true because all that you need to do is stay focused and pay attention. Everything gets explained quickly or in due time. That’s why Ellen Page’s character is there as well because she’s the Tidus of the bunch. The one that gets tossed in to this new world and who needs to be explained everything.
That ending was something though. A total and utter mindfuck if I ever saw one. It perfectly matches the title of the movie and the problems people had in the movie with the concept. Truly the perfect ending for this movie.
The entire concept of Inception is that you plant this seed in to a man’s subconscious so that it sprouts in to an idea by itself. What that ending did was perfect. It planted a seed of doubt in to you and then it sprouted in to a total: what the fuck, man!
What isn’t perfect about this movie is that a lot of things go unexplained that really do need an explanation. Or that at least need to be established much better. Like for instance, where do the guns come from in the dreams. Still, not everything needed to be explained. Besides those few things that needed to be established a bit better, nothing really felt wrong. You just accepted everything for what it was and rolled with it. That is the magic of this movie really. It’s so good and captivating that you let the slip ups go and not bother you.

And now for the actors. My god, what a list of awesome names we have here.
Leonardo DiCaprio, who has really shown that he is more than just teen girl fodder in the last years. Not only that, but in my eyes he has just cemented himself in my top five favorite actors list. And what an awesome character he played. So deep and complex. Amazing, really.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a guy I haven’t even heard of, even though I’ve seen him plenty of times in Third rock from the sun and the new G.I. Joe movie. After this movie though, I will recognize him by name for sure. He’s also got some of the more impressive action sequences in the movie.
I’ve been a major Ellen Page fan ever since I’ve seen Juno. Just a really talented actress who I think has a really bright future ahead of her. Does a stellar performance in this movie as was expected.
Tom Hardy, I had to IMDB this man to figure out where I’ve seen him before. And I probably will again. But in this movie he was just fun to look at. Just a great character with a lot of wit. Also a few awesome lines. I really do hope I’ll see him again.
I’ll always remember Ken Watanabe from The Last Samurai. A great movie and he played his part brilliantly. I felt like here he wasn’t really given a chance to act, as you’ll find out or already know for what reason. Still, another great name to add to the list.
AND FINALLY, Tom Berenger! MAN, he’s been out of the picture for a long while. Glad to see him again! Relatively small part, but still. TOM! For me he’s one of those actors that really deserved more than he had gotten over the passed few years and with this movie, he’s at least given that.
Marion Cotillard, who played Mal, isn’t really known. But she’s played in some known movies like the Taxi movies and A Good Year. Still, I can’t think of anyone else who would have done a better performance than her. A perfect match for the role, if you ask me.
Lastly there’s the man everyone knows, who ever SHOULD know and who everyone NEEDS to be a fan of: Michael Caine. One of the most talented actors in the world and a man who most definitely deserves to be on EVERYONE’S top ten actors list.  In this movie he also played a small part, but come on. It’s Michael Caine.
For the rest everyone played their part well. Not really one actor or actress who really fumbled the ball. When the Oscars come, I can almost guarantee that people from this movie and because of this movie will be nominated. I fucking guarantee it.

The visuals, the action and the effects are all brilliant. What happens or could happen in dreams isn’t really explored enough, if you ask me, but for what it was, it was great. You’ve probably already seen this in the trailer, but at one point the city gets folded in to a box and everything just goes along like it’s absolutely normal. That entire sequence isn’t tossed at your face just to have something pretty to gaze at, but it’s a good part of the story. As is every effect or action sequence that you see. Unlike with the latest 3D, where they toss the 3D effects at you just because you haven’t seen one in five minutes, the movie weaves them in to the movie seamlessly, pushing them in to the background somewhat but at least keep them noticed.
Also, Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred in one of the best action scenes I’ve seen in years. No quick cuts, no fancy editing, nothing. Just him and no stunt doubles. These are of course the ones in the hallways where the hotel … you’ll know when you see the movie or you know because you’ve seen the movie. Just thrust me when I say that you’ll enjoy it.
Overall, the look and feel of this movie needed just that little bit more though. Especially in the dreams where Nolan could have taken it just that bit further. Really make it a bit more nightmarish at time. It doesn’t have to be always there, but just foreshadowing moments that really didn’t have to go anywhere but possibly could.

Music maestro! Yes, the music is great. Though you sometimes think it feels just a tad bit to familiar, Hans Zimmer really tried his best to give it that unique touch. Never did the music impede on the rest of the movie. Nor did it not blend in. It was just epic from the start of the movie to the end. Right now I’m sitting here, thinking of how the music was. I know what it was, how it was in relations to the movie and stuff like that. But I can’t exactly hear it in my mind. When you’re watching the movie, you hear it and think it’s great. But afterwards you come to realize that it didn’t really stand out. Not because it was worse, but because it was just as good as the rest.

The Last Words

Yes, it’s safe to read again.

Inception really is a blockbuster with a brain. If you’re going to see this, don’t wander off with your mind or you’ may get in to trouble. But, in the end, if you keep your mind with the movie, everything will fall in to place by the end of the movie. Still, that doesn’t mean that the movie gives you more than enough to think about. Some things go unexplained in this movie. Other things are thrown at you to make you think about what just happened. These are the things I’ve been missing in blockbusters.
What I really loved about this movie is that the main plot comes first and that the character plots come second, unlike recent movies where the backstories to character are the key focus of the movie.
The acting performances are magical to look at. They portray their character excellently. Nobody sucks at their job, nobody chews the scenery. To put it simply: the core cast almost all at least deserve to be nominated at the Oscars for the part they played in this movie.
The visuals and effects are sublime and also deserve to be at least be nominated for an Oscar. Some of em were fun to look at. Still, the concept of dream visuals isn’t really explored. Mainly because there’s a serious lack of nightmarish things in these dream worlds.
Hans Zimmerman is behind the music, so that should tell you enough if you’ll like it or hate it. Personally, I loved it.

It’s not a perfect movie, but it’s a great movie. I give it a

10/10

GO SEE IT NOW.

This has been Puddle Jumper with the review of the Christopher Nolan masterpiece: Inception. You ARE the weakest link. Goodbye.

Wait, wrong ending.