Inception Review

Yeah I had high hopes for this film. Even when minimising my hype, the expectation had been expecting it to be my favourite film of the year ('Kick-Ass' at number 1 and 'A Single Man' at 2, so far). Well I've held off till I've seen the film twice due to the first viewing being focused on the narrative and a 2nd needed to look deeper. My favourite film of the last decade was probably 'The Dark Knight' ((closely followed by 'No Country for Old Men'). Combine this, the fact that Nolan has never done a bad film, and the things I'd heard about 'Inception' (both positive reviews and the fact that it is apparently an art film wrapped in a Hollywood blockbuster - once again the best of both worlds, like 'TDK' - with surrealism, psychology, lush cinematography, a great cast, and epic soundtrack), and you can see why I was excited. Well there's no point in holding it back any longer...I did greatly enjoy it, and I think it's one of the best films of recent years, however I wouldn't say it was a perfect masterpiece and inferior to 'The Dark Knight'. Favourite film of the year...quite possibly, at least a tie.

Let us again, start with the negative. With such a complex narrative, some of the emotional resonance and thematic depth is lost. It is somewhat lacking in that department compared to 'TDK'. It's there, but it doesn't go all the way. That's a fairly big issue, if it was an out of 10, scenario, it would knock it down a 1.5/2 points for me; so we're looking at 8.5/10...because that is really, it. That is all I could complain about.

The film successfully challenges its audience just enough without ever losing them, creating a genuinely original, twisty, psychological action thriller. Oh I suppose, you might complain about that, it's big on the psychological thriller but there aren't many action scenes for 2 hours 20 minutes if that's what you want (although action fans should still see it for having an anti-grav fist fight resulting in a unique jaw-dropping scene that ranks as one of the greatest in cinema history). It is best described as psychological crime thriller. There are many heist movie conventions that are really well done, and hold the film together so that the heavy sci-fi dream concepts don't alienate the audience. Things are all well explained without seeming dull and expository.

The film actually feels almost Hollywood-esque with its pacing: building beautifully and becoming more and more complex (it doesn't dissapoint in Nolan's rep for complex narratives, with dreams within dreams, within dreams, within dreams, and flashbacks, etc.) as the film reaches its natural climax and genius ending without ever feeling formulaic.

The cast is great all round...and all have their time to shine. I have a particularly soft spot for Ellen Page who I always find a joy and never fails to impress, and this holds up here as the audiences stand in as the newcomer and the (amazing job of) the architect, she's gets some of the funniest stuff too. Also Marion Cotillard is downright scary but also tied in with the pathos, all while being a bond girl anti-heroine type, it's an impossible tri-part, played wonderfully.

I don't want to say too much but Nolan does it again, with that epic Dark Knight look and feel but really being more in the vein of 'The Prestige' (but better). The movie is best described as a mash-up between 'Heat' and 'The Matrix'. It'll feel familiar yet new...Nolan walks another tightrope. It's a great and original psychological thriller with few but brilliant action scenes, and somewhat lacking in emotional and thematic depth but a marvellous mind stimulant. Yeah I loved it, and look forward to seeing it a 3rd time.