(Film Review) Inception

Time to read: 2 min read

Movie Cover Movie Poster

You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.

Past Christopher Nolan film reviews:

Review

Dream science has always fascinated me and Nolan does an excellent job exploring this topic in detail. The film follows Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), two “extractors” who enter people’s dreams in order to steal secrets. After a botched heist, the two must work for Saito (Ken Watanabe) to perform an intricate heist to plant an idea into someone’s mind.

The characters are all pretty amazing, from Watanabe’s stoic Saito, to Tom Hardy’s gruff Eames, to Ellen (Elliot) Page’s rookie Ariadne. DiCaprio’s protagonist is emotionally charged, like his character in Shutter Island. Gordon-Levitt’s Arthur is suave and cunning. My favourite character is actually Marion Cotillard’s Mal, who is both malicious and vexing.

The story and world-building are definitely the highlights of the film. Nolan’s non-linear storytelling really shines, especially given the backdrop of dreams which operate on different timelines. The world of Inception is extremely detailed; I especially enjoyed learning about the different intricate aspects of being in dreams, such as the various rules and symbolisms. The action sequences are amazing and so are the CGI scenes, which look incredible even after over a decade since the film’s initial release.

Conclusion

A deeply original world with an interesting plot.

Overall rating: 8.8

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