Existential is the only word that can be used to sum up Inception, which is, without doubt, Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus.

Inception: Thought Provoking Genius

When was the last time you viewed a major blockbuster film that was layered so completely, raised complex ideas and demanded all your concentration?  I sit here and struggle to explain the plot for fear of ruining the brilliantly executed storyline and the intricacy of the existential reality the film throws you into.

The plot is so complicated that it demands all your focus while you meditate on the questions that have you asking about your own waking life. So I will just describe the premise as simply as possible.

Inception takes the audience on a journey with a team of individuals who travel into the dream world to ‘extract’ information from the dreamer’s subconscious as well as implant an idea into the dreamer’s psyche to make a decision useful to the man who hired them. The team is led by an ‘extractor’, Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), whose performance will leave you in awe of his brilliance and total emersion in the character’s complexity, darkness and psyche.

Complexity of Cinematic Genius

It takes Nolan 50 minutes to actually establish the plot, so excuse me as I try to establish more depth to the story in this brief article. The plot takes you into dreams, within dreams, within dreams… yes, existentiality thy name is Inception. As the film Waking Life so eloquently put it, ‘The worst mistake that you can make is to think you are alive when really you are asleep in life’s waiting room.’ This is true to the ‘life’ that Inception creates.

Every character holds a specific role for their mission to be completed. There is, as mentioned before, the ‘extractor’; the ‘architect’ who begins to build the dream; ‘the forger’; and the ‘chemist’ who helps in putting the target into a deep R.E.M sleep state.

And dreams have rules, of course. Here are just a few: dying in a dream wakes the dreamer; and falling too deep into the subconscious of it all will throw you into eternal limbo. I could go on about all the rules, but this will make it sound more complex than it is – if you truly immerse yourself into the film the complexity will fade.

Action and Imagination

Fighting without gravity? This film makes that scenario so real that your jaw will job at the magnificent cinematography that is executed with sheer genius. The visual effects are some of the best, if not the best of all time.

There is a car chase, fistfight and shoot out – all on top of each other. You would assume this would make you tired of the action sequences, but, quite the contrary, it is exhilarating and the climax of the film will leave you wanting even more.

Actors

We learn about the characters of Inception not through tedious monologues, but from their interaction with each other and the complex emotions that they display in their subtext and subtle actions.

Ellen Page, of Juno fame, plays a character that cuts through Cobb’s bullshit and pulls off her character with class and strength. One actor of the film who I believe will become a massive star of this generation is Joseph Gordon-Levitt of Third Rock from the Sun and 10 Things I Hate About You fame. He is charming to watch as he morphs into a fantastic actor.

The one actor is the film who is a little shaky – not in his acting, but in his thick Japanese accent – is the team’s employer. With a plot so difficult to follow, concentrating hard on what he is saying is a bit of a struggle. Inception is so perfectly crafted that losing a few of his lines is a bit frustrating, but nonetheless his performance is great.

A Must See

Probably the best film of the year, Inception is a must see for all audiences. As is said in the film, ‘True inspiration is impossible to fake.’

Nolan’s inspiration is astounding and magnificent. Enjoy the films genius.