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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Inception (2010)

Inception (2010) DVDRip | 700mb | 148 min

INFO:
Genre: Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Director: Christopher Nolan
Release Date: 16 July 2010 (USA)
Language: English

PLOT:
In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a single idea within one's mind can be the most dangerous weapon or the most valuable asset.
It seems that ever since the first teaser premiered last fall, no film release this year has been more highly anticipated than Christopher Nolan’s Inception. It should be no surprise that both serious film connoisseurs and casual movie-goers alike are both rather excited for the latest from the director of films like Memento, The Prestige and, most importantly, The Dark Knight.
Over the past nine months, a genius advertising campaign – along with some serious buzz on the internet – has built up the hype for Inception to unfathomable heights. With each new trailer, set photo, director interview or studio plot synopsis came a new reason to be excited – stunning visuals, minor story details, a growing cast of all-star actors – but never a clear picture of what this film would actually be like. Expectations have become so high, it seems as though no film could possibly live up to them.

Except one.
Inception’s protagonist, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), is a thief – but not just any thief. He and his team of bandits – Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Ariadne (Ellen Page) and Eames (Tom Hardy) – have the ability to literally enter a person’s dreams and steal thoughts – secrets – from deep within the subconscious. This skill has made Dom highly sought-after in the world of corporate espionage, but has also made him a fugitive.

A wealthy client (Ken Watanabe) offers Dom a chance to clear his name and return home to his family. There’s just one catch: Dom would have to enter a target’s mind and perform a seemingly impossible task. Rather than stealing a thought, he and his team would have to implant one – the act of “inception.”

Obviously there’s more to this – a lot more – but the less one knows boarding this conceptual rollercoaster, the wilder the ride will be.

Nolan’s narrative unfolds slowly. The world he has created is complex beyond description, so time is needed for viewers to become acclimated. Entering dreams is tricky business; there are rules to be followed and risks that must be considered. If, as an audience, we do not fully understand these intricacies, the film would fall apart. Nolan relies heavily on his audience’s ability to comprehend lofty concepts; this is the thinking man’s thriller.
Luckily, no one tells a story quite like Christopher Nolan, and everything is laid out in a way that is both crystal clear and mindblowingly fascinating. As we approach the second act, and Nolan prepares to really unleash his tale, we are properly prepared to face what’s coming next.
The rest of the film plays out at lightning-fast speed. Events, ideas and stunning visuals bombard the screen with unmatched intensity. Viewers are forced to ingest new information just as they are beginning to digest what’s already been seen. The pace and tone build and build in might, never letting up until the credits role.
On a technical level, Inception is a masterpiece. This is the most visually ambitious film to hit theatres in years, and can only be properly experienced on the big screen. Wally Pfister, Nolan’s go-to cinematographer, captures each frame with indescribable precision; his work is beautiful. The CG landscapes used are fantastic and believable; they possess a sense of tangibility and realism I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before. But, as fantastic as the computer work is, it is Nolan’s use of practical effects that really impresses. In an age where set-building seems to be a lost art, the use of brick-and-mortar scenery is astounding. Every penny of Inception’s $200 million dollar budget appears onscreen in its full glory – and then some (check out the rotating-hallway scene – that is not CGI, it’s an actual moving set).
No visual effect is complete without stellar audio work. Nolan’s team of sound editors and mixers pair each visual with sound effects that can’t be described as anything less than perfect. Additionally, Hans Zimmer’s score is flawless and will likely net the veteran composer his eighth Academy Award nomination. Rumor has it Zimmer wasn’t allowed to see the film as he scored it; if true, the man is a god.

Finally, we get to the cast, and what a cast it is. Headliner Leonardo DiCaprio commands the viewer’s full attention for every second he appears onscreen. Despite the grand conceptual and visual scope of Inception, the film is still largely an exploration into the psyche of his character. Dom Cobb is as complex a character as Inception is a film, and, as always, DiCaprio nails it. He just overtook himself (in Scorsese’s Shutter Island) as this year’s awards-season frontrunner.
The supporting cast is composed with enormous talent as well. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is at the top of his game and has secured his position as one of Hollywood’s most talented young-guns. He might just be his generation’s DiCaprio. Ellen Page holds her own here; shedding the snarkiness found in her prior work. For the first time in her career, she plays an adult – a role that suits her surprisingly well.  Watanabe is good; giving a performance that would probably stand out in any other film, but simply stands in this one. The big surprise is Tom Hardy, who I’ve never seen in a film before (though I did hear good things about his performance in Bronson last year). Hardy is great in each of his scenes; especially noteworthy are the moments in which his character is introduced. He engages in an extended dialogue with DiCaprio’s character – their chemistry is fantastic . I can’t wait to see more of this guy.
I know it seems like I’m gushing; I didn’t want to. I tried to think of something to criticize, but nothing came to mind. I can, however, without any hesitation whatsoever, declare that Inception is the best film of Nolan’s career and will likely stand strong as the best of 2010.
See this movie. Bring some friends, preferably intelligent ones. Watch it, and pay attention. Afterwards, grab coffee, maybe even lunch, and talk about it. Analyze it and dissect it – pick it apart until there is nothing left. And then, see it again.


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