‘Inception’ Is Powerfully Imaginative
For those who feel like box office fare in 2010 has been weak, Christopher Nolan’s Inception is the cure for what ails you. Unlike the tired reboots and sequels released earlier this year, Inception is powerfully imaginative. This sci-fi thriller is loaded with excitement and intrigue so explosive that it will leave you reeling even after you exit the theater.
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a thief that specializes in looting the mind’s most precious commodity: its ideas. He accomplishes this feat by penetrating a person’s dreams with his highly skilled gang of con artists. Inside the dream Cobb swipes the ideas, so that he can sell them when he’s back in the real world.
When Dom is presented with a new job that falls outside the norm however, he is tempted by the challenge just as much as the reward. Instead of taking an idea from the target’s mind, Dom is tasked with planting one. The payoff for this job is redemption for his past sins, a prize which outweighs any financial gain for him. To spoil more Inception though would rob you of discovering the film’s creative plot for yourself.
Leonardo DiCaprio excels in the role of Dom Cobb, skillfully portraying a man mentally trapped between the dream world and reality. DiCaprio’s Cobb is haunted by his mistakes, trying desperately to keep up the illusion he’s in control. With it clear to the audience that he’s unable to restrain himself, DiCaprio adds another layer of tension some already stressful situations.
Each supporting cast member is expertly chosen and directed by Nolan. Joseph Gordon-Levitt flexes his talent as Cobb’s right hand man, Arthur, who’s fiercely loyal and possesses quick thinking skills despite his one dimensional imagination. Ellen Page attracts our sympathy as the young apprentice to Cobb, a novice in dream piracy, trying to keep the operation together through its most difficult trials. In some ways her character acts as a window into Cobb, because as she attempts to dig deeper into Cobb’s past, we as an audience learn about him through her.
Similar to Nolan’s last box office smash The Dark Knight, which is adequately long, Inception uses its 148 minute runtime fully to flesh out the concepts and characters it presents. Solid back-story is further buttressed by seamless special effects. Nolan crafts fantasy worlds are both immersive and believable even though they have completely altered physics.
Naysayers may compare this film to 1999’s The Matrix and its idea that the line between reality and fantasy is a fine one. What truly sets Inception apart though is its stress on dreams as commodity, as well as the creation of dreams within dreams. The use of dreams within other dreams adds levels to the complexity and excitement to the film. As you sit there hoping the various dreams line up successfully, your own heart rate becomes elevated and you find yourself on the edge of your seat praying the mission will be successful.