The problem, broadly, with this film is how it is perceived. It’s the same problem that ‘The Matrix’ faced with people adoring the Gondry-style bullet time action but not quite understanding how a Summer Blockbuster can have the stones to try and teach it’s audience philosophy. ‘Inception’ falls into the same bracket. It’s a great big action film with mind-boggling photography and special effects but, at the end of the day, it’s just a summer blockbuster and it shouldn’t be seen as anything more than that.
The film is, however, a terrific summer blockbuster. The cast are all on excellent form and seem to be composed solely of people who I personally find to be genuinely cool. DiCaprio is once again on polished, accomplished form and (as i have long predicted) an Oscar doesn’t seem too many years off. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy channel their hip/of the moment vibe into their roles, whilst Ellen Page plays roughly to type as the smart and sassy architect. Ken Watanabe and Marion Cottilard are graced with less developed characters but they don’t seem out of place on screen. The one oddity is Michael Caine who has so little to do it just feels weird to see him in that role.
What to say about the dreamscape? Some bits are very clever, particularly Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s zero gravity fist fight which is cleverly hooked up to…well the film explains better than i ever could. The limits were, practically, boundless for what could be done in the visualization of the subconscious and Christopher Nolan doesn’t completely exploit that, preferring to tone down the crazy and up the amount of gunfights. I can personally say i have never had a dream that involves a ski assault on an Arctic fortress, but hey?
‘Inception’ is big and bold, if not particularly clever. The last frame in particular is a work of art. I don’t expect any Oscar nods for this film, but i respect their decision to not shoot in 3D, a choice that may lose them the Visual Effects gong, but should win film-making plaudits.
The Clapper Bored 