Inception (2010, PG-13)

An elaborate and elongated sci-fi actioneer, Inception intertwines character development and stunning action sequences to give the best action film in years, a movie that utterly grabs your attention and immerses you into the movie itself.

The film is set in a future world where there is the ability to enter people’s minds and steal valuable information.  The protagonist, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), is the best there is at this, called an extraction.  A couple of years back, his wife, Mal (Marion Cottilard) committed suicide.  This was because she and Dom dreamt and created their own world.  Dom realized they needed to get out, and when they did, Mal still believed they were still dreaming.  Haunted by this, Dom also had to cope with the fact that he has had to leave his kids behind as he’s a wanted fugitive blamed for the death of his wife.

Cobb is hired by a Japanese-business man, Saito (Ken Watanabe), to perform an inception, a near impossible feat where you implant an idea rather than extract one.  Cobb assembles some old friends together to pull it off: Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Eames (Tom Hardy), Yusuf (Dileep Rao), as well as newcomer Ariadne (Ellen Page), who joins the crew.  The job is to force Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy) to split up his late father’s business empire, as Fischer gives the only competition to Saito.        

Christopher Nolan directs this fast-paced pic.  Nolan is fast becoming one of the more notable and effective directors in Hollywood.  He’s been working on the script and story for Inception for years now.  His reputation is soaring.  Inception is hands down his most versatile film yet.

Let me say that the acting is splendid by all of the actors and actresses.  The acting was very notable and convincing, and worthy of Academy-Award nominations.  I guess I was bummed that DiCaprio, who really is a talented actor in some roles, did not receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor (I still don't think he should have won).  Nolan is known for using several of the same actors in his movies.  This way, the actors know him and he knows them.  The results are very impressive acting performances. 

The movie only uses CGI when it has to.  In addition, the soundtrack, sound editing and the filming of Inception is incredible.  It's well shot, well acted, but, like most Christopher Nolan films, it nevertheless demands all of your attention, and may require of you two, if not more, viewings.

In many ways, Inception was in the tradition of the Matrix, but Inception is a much more moving, character developmental picture that keeps memorable action sequences intact.  So far, Inception represents Nolan's best work as a director. 

In addition, Inception is an exhilirating expierence.  Just sitting in the theater, I remained engaged and captivated throughout the film, deliviring the best theater expierence I had all year.  Nolan masterfully weaves in stunning action sequences with a pretty cool music score. 

Inception is neat, inventive and stylish.  The running length runs at around 2 ½ hours, but it’s quickly paced and does not ever sink down into boredom.  Inception is, in essence, the rare Hollywood blockbuster that succeeds anymore.

                                   **** ½ /5