Back in 1999, I was a junior in high school, and a little movie called The Matrix was unleashed upon the world. I remember going to see it with a friend; we were both fairly oblivious regarding the nature of the plot, as well as the presence of the now famous stylized (and infinitely duplicated) action sequences. Leaving the theater, I had the distinct feeling that I'd seen something revolutionary—as ambiguous as that term may be—and that I had really only processed a fraction of what was taking place on screen. During the wee hours of this past morning— around 2:35 AM, to be exact—that feeling of having experienced something undeniably groundbreaking was finally replicated.
As a matter of fact, I'll go so far as to say that Inception surpasses The Matrix on nearly every level. It's that rare film which is simply unforgettable, thriving on superb acting, a brilliantly layered story, and mesmerizing choreography.
If you've seen the trailers—and who hasn't?—you might be a little confused as to what it's all about, so let me take a stab at cluing you in. Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is an "extractor"—a person who's hired to create an artificial dreamworld (an oxymoron?) and steal people's secrets while they sleep. This, of course, is illegal, and for a variety of reasons Cobb has been globetrotting for some time to avoid capture. He's also an estranged father, and is believed to be guilty in the murder of his wife (who frequently shows up in each of the dream environments he constructs). Anyway, entering the human mind is apparently a fairly straightforward task, and it's all accomplished via a device that was originally developed for military training.
After a botched attempt to extract information from a wealthy businessman named Saito (Ken Watanabe), he's hired to perform what's known as an "inception." Essentially, it's the highly controversial notion that you can plant an idea in someone's mind to cause him/her to behave in a specific way. In this instance, Saito wants Cobb to convince the heir of an energy tycoon to break up his father's empire. This is in Saito's interest because it eliminates his only competition, thus allowing his corporation to exist as an unfettered monopoly. If Cobb is able to successfully do this, says Saito, he'll pull a few strings and Cobb will be able to return to his native America and once again be with this children.
I've obviously left out a lot of key details, but trust me when I say the plot—though admittedly complex—is wholly engaging and completely rewarding. As a number of critics have noted, Inception demands that its viewers' intellect is engaged full throttle as things progress, and I found that this was a natural consequence of being thrust into the story. In other words, it didn't seem like a "chore" to really think deeply about what was happening on screen; it was second nature. The film moves at a brisk pace, but it provides enough cues to remind you of certain narrative intricacies that might otherwise have dissolved into your own subconscious.
As you'd imagine, the setup is a veritable cornucopia of possibilities for action junkies. I found myself collecting my jaw from the theater floor as cityscapes folded in on themselves and modernistic dreamscapes crumbled because of protruding influences from the outside world. Of special note is a prolonged car chase sequence. It pushes the boundaries of time perception, and takes the notion of stacking one dream atop another to new levels. Let me elaborate briefly (and I'll try to do so without ruining any of the surprise that inevitably comes with such a thrilling tale).
Our protagonists—a team of "dream thieves," if you will—enter the dreams of their intended target. Once there, they're attacked by his subconscious, which has been trained to defend against just this sort of "break in." As they try to buy themselves time so that they can accomplish their goal, they enter a dream within that dream and find that they're now able to interact with their mark in an entirely new fashion. As the car chase continues in the original dream, though, they feel the physical effects in their new dream. When their driver takes a sharp turn, for instance, their gravity shifts in the new dream, and they're all thrown to one side of a room.
Yeah, I know. It sounds crazy complicated. It is. Trust me, though, when I say that it all makes complete sense within the context of the story, and you'll marvel at Nolan's ability to generate a plot that asks so much of its audience.
This, of course, is only the tip of the iceberg, and there are some excellently crafted subplots that tackle more universal issues (such as learning how to "let go" of lost loved ones, etc.). It's the sort of movie that warrants a seemingly infinite number of viewings, and you'll find yourself analyzing its idiosyncrasies for decades to come.
I'll close by saying Inception is not only the best film I've seen thus far in 2010, it's one of the best I've ever seen, and has rightfully earned a spot on my Top 10 list. This is a moment in cinematic history that shouldn't be missed.
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