Title – Inception (2010)

Director – Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight)

Cast – Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard

Plot – In a world where dreams are accessible and vulnerable, master dream manipulator Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) and a crack team of experts set forward on a dangerous mission to infiltrate and plant an idea in a high profile businessman’s mind.

“You’re waiting for a train. A train that’ll take you far away”

Review by Eddie on 05/03/2020

A flawed masterpiece that offers ample chances for viewers to pick holes in various plot points or instances, Inception is also one of the most ambitious and memorable pieces of blockbuster filmmaking of the last decade and a film that solidified Christopher Nolan as the king of large-scale Summer fair offerings that offers audiences the chance to witness unique and visually grandiose cinema that is rare to find in today’s climate.

Brash, loud and mostly enthralling, Inception takes us on a wild ride into the world of dreams, deceptions and big life questions as we follow Leonardo DiCaprio’s dream time conman Dom Cobb and his crack team of sidekicks as they look to pull off a daring “inception” heist on a high-profile target that will test the very nature of what is possible as their mission takes them deep into the subconscious of the unknown.

It’s a plotline that only Nolan could pull off, similar to the mind-melting feats of Interstellar, Memento and The Prestige, Inception takes multiple viewings to fully appreciate and while its plot contrivances and plot holes become more aware on repeat screenings (Cobbs relationship with deceased wife Mal can become frustrating as does the films self-indulgent finale), the highs of Inception far outweigh any of the instances that disappoint, helping create a film that is well deserving of its place deep inside the Top 250 films of all-time on movie bible website IMDB.

From the moment the film starts and we see Cobb washed ashore on a mysterious beach, through to such eye-popping and white-knuckle moments as the city of Paris literally turning in on itself or Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Arthur flying around in a zero gravity hotel hallway fighting off a generic goon, Inception offers up spectacle and intrigue like very films can dare dream to do and with Nolan’s insistence on going practical wherever possible, there are numerous moments throughout his big-budget affair that you can’t help but be astounded by.

Near 10 years on from release, Nolan’s ability to craft such a technically sound production ensure that Inception has lost none of its initial charms and for anyone that has bypassed for the film in the last decade, it’s safe to say that Inception is one of those rare breeds of film that feels ageless in a time and place where many other high-profile picks fail to stand up to the test of time.

Inception is also one of Nolan’s most purely playful and fun films, a heist film done the way of hijacked dreams and acts of deception, you sense the giddiness and joy Nolan would’ve had conjuring up this film into a reality.

Never a director to do things the easy way, this is the perfect example of a high-concept feature done with thoughtfulness and tact but also with entertaining at the forefront of its mantra and for those that are willing to be swept away by Nolan’s grand vision that’s lead by a typically strong DiCaprio turn, Inception is about as good as it gets in regards to big-scale movie making.

Final Say –

Likely to remain a film that is talked about and debated about for the years yet to come, Inception has its flaws should you care to look but at the end of the day Nolan’s wild ride into the depths of the human subconscious (backed by a masterful Hans Zimmer score) is just as joyous too behold now as it was on the big screen all those years ago.

5 grenade launchers out of 5