A Second Opinion On INCEPTION

I wasn’t enjoying Inception as much as I’d hoped during the first half of the film. I couldn’t answer why, there was just something about it I couldn’t put my finger on. It was by the halfway mark that I realised what it was; genius was being crafted before me. The lead-up to the films denouement is meticulously paced, the timing is intentional in every nuance and movement. Every line of dialogue spoken, every note of the score.

Chris Nolan has written and directed a film so layered and complex that Inception warrants multiple viewings to really appreciate the story-telling and film-making on their individual planes. The width and breadth of the palette Nolan paints with stretches the audience to it’s breaking limit, breathlessly weaving intricacies within the story with visual dreamscapes. Never letting up until the final, brilliant, shot.

To call Nolan a visionary is an understatement. His concepts of theme, time, pace and spatial relationship all co-exist on a level that most film-makers would never dare grapple. Take James Cameron and Avatar. Without special effects that film is nothing. It’s a dry, mundane story we’ve seen a thousand times over, with every effect in the film meant to draw an illicit gasp from the viewer. The opposite can be said of Inception. The effects are amazing don’t get me wrong, but at no time do you feel drawn out of the film to comment on them. They are so perfectly executed, and flow so freely within the story that you are never pulled from the grip of the film.

And this is why Inception works so well. There is only one way to balance the story with the visuals which is to let Nolan weave the tale his way. The films run-time, 148 minutes, could be no shorter than it is. Too cut anything from the film would deviate from the incredible build-up in tension and artistry. We need to understand the characters, we need the story to unfold before us as it does the players in the film. If we were to learn things early on, it would ruin the suspense that is tantamount in the films closing 20 minutes. This is where I realise I wasn’t NOT enjoying the first half of the film. I know now that I was being led deliberately down a path towards my own realisations within the film. This is the gift of a truly masterful craftsman.

I’ll give no synopsis. No explanation of events. Any information going into the film would only serve as a detriment to the artistic direction of Nolan. That is why I read no reviews before going in to see the film. Something I suggest you do too…except for this one, daddy needs a paycheque!

So here is what I will say, in a cute bullet format…

• As much as this film is amazing, it would lose 75% of it’s effectiveness without the absolutely stunning score by Hans Zimmer. If you don’t believe in the power of music in setting moods for a film, then watch Inception with no score and see how different it is.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most talented actors in film today. His performance in the film is outstanding.
• Cillian Murphy has always been one of my favourite actors. But he is quickly becoming my all-time fave. His screen time is quite small in the film compared to the other actors, but what he does with the real estate is extraordinary.
• Again, this is a film where the special effects are so critical to the plot, but NEVER overshadow the performances or writing. No small feat in today’s film world.
• Leo DiCaprio gives an absolutely amazing performance. This guy can do no wrong. He is at his top form here, matching the brilliance of his ‘The Aviator’ role.

Now, I have one small contention. Ellen Page. She wasn’t bad. But I felt like she was in over her head with the calibre of talent surrounding her. My substitute would have been Carey Mulligan who I think is going to be the biggest actress to come out of Hollywood in decades. But I’m biased cause I’m gonna marry her. or keep her down a well in my backyard (next to Ryan Reynolds buried coffin. Follow us on Facebook and you’ll get that joke!).

Chris Nolan is the most talented man in Hollywood. From Memento to The Dark Knight and now Inception, he is giving us worlds beyond many imaginings. Yes, Inception is THAT good, but it’s because of Nolans vision, perfectionism and love of film that it is that good. This film will be taught at film school’s, will be on lists the world over for it’s achievements, will be studied. But at the end of the day, it’s the journey that counts. And this journey is one that we will all take, many times, until our Top never stops spinning.