REVIEW: Inception

Inception is the best movie so far this year.  While that may not be a very high hurdle to jump, it is as good as some of the top movies of last year (Inglourious Basterds) and the year before (Slumdog Millionaire).   It is pretty close to a perfect movie, although not quite the perfect action movie (Die Hard)…oh well.  It may not be this good in repeat viewings, but I cannot imagine a movie better suited for repeat viewings than Inception.  No doubt in my mind, I will be there to watch it on an IMAX screen.

I don’t know how to describe the movie, not because I think I may spoil it, it’s just that I don’t think I can do it justice.  Everything you’ve seen in the commercials is true; this is indeed an action movie.  They are not trying to distract you with a half-hearted attempt to pull an action movie out of a psychological thriller.  The last hour reminds me of a cross between The Matrix and Black Hawk Down: The Matrix because the action is so well done, and Black Hawk Down because, for sixty minutes, it is hard to even breathe.  The intensity never lets up.  And there is no twist ending.  It is what it is and the ending is thought provoking and well earned.

The Plot is Two Fold:

1)   Leonardo DiCaprio and his band of merry men can enter dreams and steal your secrets.  This process is called extraction.  Conversely, in a process called inception, Ken Watanabe hires DiCaprio to implant an idea into the mind of competitor’s CEO.

2)   Leonardo DiCaprio’s internal fight within himself (It sounds cheesy, but it is not.  It is probably the main thrust of the film).

That is all you are getting in terms of story.  Just sit back and enjoy.

What I most enjoyed is that the rules in the dreams are set up and there are no shortcuts.  These rules are stated throughout the movie.  There is no Neo that can break the rules, then in the sequels forget that he doesn’t need to stop bullets…wait, that’s a different rant.  No buried H-bomb… oh yeah, another rant.  What you see is what you get.

All in all, this may be one of the best ensemble acting performances in a summer blockbuster.  Leonardo DiCaprio’s brilliant performance is only surpassed by his costar, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Not that I’ve seen many movies, but he would be my Best Supporting Actor right now.  He is not Heath Ledger great, but he does deliver.  Also, Ellen Page is so much better than any other person could be in this role.  Ken Watanabe.  Scarecrow.  Maria Cortland.  Everyone is great.

I know this is the worst movie review ever.   I hate reviewing movies because you cannot really discuss it in detail.  The movie runs a brisk 150 minutes or so, but I wish it never ended.  One scene in particular, the fight in the hotel hallway with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, may be one of my favorite action sequences ever put on film.  So much fun.

Go out and see it so I can talk about it.