Inception - Film Review

Right, in my previous post I did promise my own review of the film, Inception, but after a serious amount of thinking and discussion with the reviewer you are about to read, I decided it was best to post up my friend’s thoughts of the movie, considering she is a massive (and I mean massive!) fan of the movie, and, after reading the review first hand, I found it just too beautiful not to put up. So, without further ado, here is one Ju’s (as mentioned in said previous post) critical analysis of the film that has changed many people’s ways of thinking…


If Escher wrote screenplays…


They’d look a little something like this.

Those who’ve read my critiquing in the past know I can be extremely harsh, to put it mildly, so I may be blowing my reputation here, but I was wholeheartedly swept away by Nolan’s Inception. It’s very rare these days to find good casting, a truly fascinating storyline and a strong dose of action all in one film but Inception delivers it all.

As the head of the ‘less-than-legal’ team, Leonardo DiCaprio gives an excellent but vitally subtle performance, proving once again his enduring skill as actor first, celebrity second as he appears to effortlessly segue between roles (Mr Bale, please take note). It’s hard to keep in mind watching his brooding performance as the burdened Cobb that he was once an angst-ridden lover in Romeo & Juliet, the only authentic part of The Beach and understandable conman in Catch Me If You Can, but that’s what makes him so believable. In Cobb you consistently fail to see the actor beneath, but quickly get drawn into the man who struggles with reality, not only in his work but more painfully in his personal life.

The supporting cast each manage to be strong enough to be main characters in their own right without distracting from the story. Ellen Page gives an impressive performance as the aptly named Ariadne, managing to link the viewer into the story in her attempts to deal with each new twist, while driving the plot on without becoming intrusive. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the slick suave Arthur, a man with ‘no imagination’ but who’s hallway scene will certainly have sparked off a lot of viewers’, Tom Hardy as Eames, the cocky Englishman sent to remind us why so many nations find the accent quite so sexy and Ken Watanabe as Saito, the businessman behind the mission, deftly managing to seem sinister and then heroic by turns. Marion Cotillard provides a practically flawless performance as Mallory, the anti-villain who looms as a constant threat at each turn yet remains blameless as she pulls you into her story.

The plot blends a adrenalin-fuelled blend of technology we can quite literally only dream about, fantastic yet realistic action sequences Spooks fans should drool at, and ideas to tie your mind in knots with a gripping tale of loyalty, love, guilt, danger, death and the human search for the nature of reality. Inception manages to mirror its own plot without ever seeming arrogant about it, giving the viewer more layers to the story than its characters ever visit and, judging by the stunned faces around the cinema, proves to be just as effective at pulling you from reality as the somnacin in a PASIV case. As if that wasn’t enough, Nolan also delivers a tear-jerk of a happy ending for each character, without resorting to a single dose of cheap cheesiness.

Inception is a rare gem in a tide of half hearted comic knock-offs and jaded romances - as deep as the Fountain, slicker than Caine’s Italian Job but with the same energy as a decent Bond flick. If you’ve managed to go this long without seeing it, don’t delay, catch it while it’s still on or mark your calendars for the DVD because this is one NOT to miss!