In a word: elaborate. I am talking about the latest Christopher Nolan blockbuster movie, Inception.
The plot is elaborate. The characters are elaborate. The sets are elaborate. Cinematography: elaborate. Special effects, mind-blowingly elaborate. The score, elaborate. The story, elaborate. You get the idea.
Prepare to be hooked from the opening scene all the way through this roller-coaster, fast pace, action sci-fi thriller, until the very last, extremely intriguing, scene. There is a lot going on, so you might want to put down the popcorn for once and strap yourself in to your movie seat. You’ll get to know the characters really well because they have well developed and definitely not stereotypical. The dialogue is fast-paced, sometimes technical and often intelligent.
We have become accustomed to seeing Leonardo di Caprio in high-grossing blockbusters, and Inception does not disappoint. In fact, it could be his best role and best performance to date. The other actors such as Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotilliard, Tom Berenger, Pete Postlewaite and the rest of the cast all play their characters to perfection. Cobb (di Caprio) is intriguing, complex, living in a world of dreams. Moving in and out of dreams trying to understand the sub-conscious, yet battling his own frailties and demons.
You are almost guaranteed to get lost in the complicated plot. It is like a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle that you, the viewer, has to put together you may pity yourself for being a mere human. Cobb (Leonardo di Caprio) asks Ariadne (Ellen Page), the student architect, to design a maze. Remember this, because you are already inside it. You just don’t know it. Such is the beauty and complexity of this movie. The special effects are magnificent and I was reminded of how The Matrix had a similar effect on audiences when it was released in 1999. You could say that Inception is The Matrix of this decade, if for the special effects alone. But maybe that’s an over-simplification and detracts from the specialness of Inception.
My eye kept drifting towards the elaborate sets, special effects and costumes – there is an abundance of detail in every frame – but then I am quickly drawn back to the dialogue, the action and the storyline. “What is important? Should I be looking for clues?”, I kept asking myself. Is this the dream state? What are the levels? I am supposed to be figuring this out, I’m almost sure of it, right?
In the end, I mean the very end, none of it matters, of course. If you’ve seen the movie, you may or may not know what I mean. If you have not already seen this movie, do yourself a favour and go see it. This is one you and your friends will be talking about long after it is over.
