"Inception":

A Brilliant Masterpiece

Director Christopher Nolan one of the most well known directors in the movie industry today created a most thrilling and exceptional film in “Inception”. If you have ever seen any of Nolan’s work like “Memento” (2000), “Batman Begins” (2005), “The Prestige” (2006), and “The Dark Knight” (2008) then you all must know that his films take us on a rollercoaster ride through his epic action packed films. “Inception” not only exceeds the rest of his films, but also leaves the viewers just as confused, thrilled, and entertained.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s work always has the public wanting to rush quickly to the theatre to sit and enjoy his films whether it’s a romantic love-story such as “Titanic”, to his other more action-drama thrillers such as “Blood Diamond”, and “The Departed”. Leonardo DiCaprio now comes out as the lead role in “Inception” and adds to his diverse and successful career. The name of the movie “Inception” itself is the mission for Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his crew. He leads his team into the field through “levels”, “mazes” and yes dreams within dreams to do something that in reality could never happen, inception. The movie causes us to forget about reality for over two hours and imagine the infinite possibilities that “Inception” provides. Cobb and his partner Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are partners in extraction. The job of extraction is to pull out any information from someone’s dream that Cobb and Arthur enter. After taking the dreamer’s secrets Cobb then sells them to their competitor(s). Cobb wanted by the U.S. government for the murder of his wife (Mal), even though he did not kill her, leaves him wandering the world trying to find a way to clear his name, and return home to his two young children.

Saito (Ken Watanabe), a rich man with great connections makes an offer that Cobb cannot refuse. The offer would immediately end Cobb’s forced exile from his home and family. Saito wants him to incept an idea into a competitor’s mind and do it so well that he believes the idea is his own. The mission takes place on the longest flight from Australia to the United States, giving enough time to go down the necessary levels to complete the mission. If Cobb does not succeed he faces prison as soon as he tries to pass through U.S. Customs. Will he succeed or fail on this seemingly impossible mission? By the end of the film we find ourselves cheering for Cobb to succeed, so he may return to his children.

I for one did not want to watch the film at first because the commercials had a lot of over dramatic action, and the commercials never gave a great explanation of the plot. I was totally correct but wrong in the same way. The film is confusing, yet worth watching, and you will have to watch it again to make sure you have understood the movie. The ability to make the viewer want to watch it again and again, even though the film confuses you, or just has a lot of action packed scenes is the forte of Christopher Nolan. This also helps the movie sell at the box office and in stores. Some examples of this would be “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”.

In reality we know that a dream within a dream within another dream is impossible. “Inception” though makes us imagine this possibility. Starting at the first level (dream) Cobb’s team have to implant a small idea in the first dream, build onto that idea at each level afterwards, and let it grow into the dreamer’s subconscious. The team must fight projections created by the dreamer’s subconscious on the way. Mal “a projection” from Cobb’s subconscious tries to sabotage the whole mission so Cobb could “stay” with her. This creates a lot of the action in the film that is worth watching especially with zero gravity fighting. Cobb battles with Mal and cannot seem to let her go from his subconscious even though she passed away.

The movie keeps you wondering whether the dreamers are still dreaming or in reality. Especially Cobb’s psychological problem not knowing for sure whether or not he is still dreaming. Nolan expresses the nuttiness of the film with Ariadne (Ellen Page), “Wait—whose subconscious are we going into, exactly?” The audience laughs after she states this sentence because everyone at least at some part before that line is already confused. It is safe to say that this film makes you think and plays tricks on you.

“Inception” took about ten years to begin production, but it was a well-made decision by Christopher Nolan. The wait was successful because of the marvelous cast that Nolan brought in with Leonardo DiCaprio as the lead role, the very good supporting cast, and the special effects available today compared to ten years ago. The movie “Inception,” having a film time of two hours and twenty-eight minutes, does negatively drag for those who do not like watching long films, but this masterpiece does not disappoint. You most likely will lose track of time with this sci-fi thriller due to all the suspenseful action, puzzles, and mazes that you encounter. Nolan purposely causes the viewer to pay extreme attention to the film because of the many turns and flips he takes you on.

This magnificent movie is a must see powerful film. The originality of this film could really cause different writers problems in creating a film to match “Inception”. The journey in the film through dreams, and the question of reality lets the viewer escape the real world to enjoy a different one. This film is full of action and special effects that have never been seen before. There is a great possibility that you will be left with unanswered questions and hungry for more after watching “Inception”.