Movie Review: Inception

You’ll want to pay attention to Christopher Nolan’s newest Hollywood blockbuster, Inception, as it literally guides you though a mental labyrinth of not only dream psychology and the unconscious, but also a labyrinth of plot twists and a good mix of internal and external conflict, depending on how you look at it.

Nolan gave the summer box office a jolt with Inception’s intricate plot, amazing visuals, and original take on the psychological thriller. The plot centers on Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), the leader of a group of thieves (played by  Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lukas Haas) who specialize in the extraction of information through shared dreaming made possible by a nifty little gadget and a sedative.

Dom is your typical stoic protagonist with a dark past who wants nothing more but to give up his life of thievery and return to his family. In order to do that, he must first complete one final impossible job. This time, instead of stealing from someone, Cobb and his crew must plant an idea in the head of corporate businessman, Robert Fisher (Cillian Murphy), which is apparently much more difficult than the usual thievery. But just as the dynamics of the plot are revealed in different “levels” of dreams, perhaps it’s best to look at the film the same way.

The first level should probably be called “Dream Stealing 101,” because of a clever twist in which Cobb is forced to recruit a college student, Ariadne (Ellen Page) into a life of crime. And just for the sake of exposition, the audience gets the low-down on how the dream gadget works through her eyes. But with such an all-star cast and the infinite possibilities in the way of special effects, it doesn’t take long to pull you in.

The second level of Inception is all about the special effects. As the thieves make their way into Fischer’s mind, we realize just how creative and subtle the effects are; tiny nuances in the background really make even the least action-packed scene interesting. But then the action starts and continually grows in unison with the effects; a zero-gravity fight scene is only what they show you in the preview.

Article Author: Darren File

Darren File is a university student from Oklahoma, working toward a bachelor's degree in professional writing. He's also a blogger for Heroine Addict on blogger and a blogcritics writer.

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