Review: Inception

#125 - Inception


Inception is a film that tackles the concept of dreams. Cobb, an expert extractor of dreams, gets himself into a bit of trouble when his mission fails. To make amends, a man by the name of Saito offers him a job. Cobb and his partner, Arthur, are instructed to implant an idea into the mind of empire owner, Maurice Fischer's, son Robert. The idea? To break up his father's empire. Cobb and his assembled team take on the challenge because Saito offers Cobb a way home to America. Several years ago, Cobb was blamed for his wife's death, so he was forced to run from the authorities. His one goal in life is to return home to his children. Saito offers him that, so he takes it. While on the mission to plant the idea into Robert's head, the dreams begin to take on their own life. The "projections" begin attacking Cobb and his team, and when they die on this mission, they get sent into limbo, instead of waking up like usual. Cobb somehow manages to succeed in planting the idea in Robert's head, so Saito grants Cobb access to return to his children in America.

Does that summary sound confusing? Good because that's about how confusing this film is. What is reality? What is a dream? What is subconscious? All of these questions are constantly swirling through your head as you watch the scenes unfold. Cobb has a spinning top that he uses to distinguish between reality and non-reality. If it continues to spin and not stop, then he is in a dream. If it topples over, he's in reality. There are two times in the film that we do not learn the answer to that question. Once in a bathroom when Cobb is snapped back into reality after a horrifying encounter with his deceased wife, Mal, and the other time is at the conclusion of the film. The film ends with the top spinning and spinning and spinning, but just as it looks like it's going to slow down and topple over, the screen cuts to black...not letting you know if it continues or stops.

That just adds to the utter chaos and confusion that is Inception. I really enjoy this film because it does keep your attention as you look for clues to what is reality and what is a dream; however, it stacks so many possibilities into your head that you go as crazy as Mal did when she thought her reality wasn't real. I mean seriously, my thoughts want to jump off their own metaphorical roof!

To me, the top is truly slowing down and, if the screen did not cut to a blackout, it would have fallen over - signifying that Cobb was reunited with his kids, and he is back in reality. However, there are many things throughout the film that make my theory feel wrong. It's very frustrating. That's probably the sole reason why I refuse to watch this movie more than once in a blue moon. Even the writers never offered up any clues into the reality behind Inception's story line. Ugh! *smashes head against wall* I could drone on and on about why I feel that way, but quite honestly, I'd have to re-watch the entire film just to get the details correct. It's definitely a movie that keeps the audience guessing.

Although I did say that it keeps the audience's attention, there is a section of the film that makes me yawn and say, "Get on with it already" - the car falling scene. It literally lasts like 45 minutes of the movie. The car is falling. Snow everywhere. The car is falling. People are shooting. The car is falling. Oh no, the Asian guy got shot. The car is falling. Pew pew pew. The car is still f'ing falling. *I fall asleep* The damn car is still...you guessed it, falling. Robert Fischer has a cry. The car...finally hits the water. It's long, and it's the only awful section of the film...okay, so yes like 45 minutes of the film is awful.

The acting, on the other hand, is perfectly spectacular. Christopher Nolan is a genius director who finds a way to bring out the talent in already hugely talented actors. Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy...just fantastic.


Overall, I give Inception 3.5 out of 5 stars.