Dreaming Big Paid Off With Summer’s Big Hit, Inception

The biggest movie of the summer, speaking not only in terms of overall profit but also sheer scope of the project, was undeniably Christopher Nolan’s epic tour-de-force: Inception. A movie that was long drenched in mystery and anticipation normally only comes with years of prior existence, but this one did not disappoint moviegoers.

Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Departed), heads a team of dream weavers who specialize in stealing ideas from a person’s subconscious. They are approached by a man who wants to try the reverse of their normal fare – planting an idea in someone’s mind to control what they do. The team begins to orchestrate a complex plan, sponsored by a Japanese business man named Mr. Saito, who wants to plant the idea of dissolving the company of a young man’s father so he can eliminate any competition. Cobb, who unexplainably knows how this process, called “Inception”, works, hires a young architecture student named Ariadne to help him create the dream worlds where he will plant the ideas. Ariadne, played by Ellen Page (Juno, Whip It), acts as a surrogate for the audience and we learn about creating dreams along with her. The team gets ready for the intense task, but Cobb has an extremely dark secret that is rooted away in his subconscious, a secret that could bring the dream world around them crashing down.

It is a treat to immerse yourself in the visual artistry of the movie. The worlds created within the dreams are all beautifully crafted and everyone is always extremely well dressed. While this, of course, doesn’t make the movie on its own, I’m a sucker for those details. The intricately crafted and seamlessly executed special effects really speak for the ingenuity of the creators who pride themselves on producing many of the film’s effects without the use of computer–generated images.

One of the most memorable scenes in the entire movie shows Gordon–Levitt’s character fighting the minions of Fisher’s subconscious in a hallway that changed from one revolving in every direction to one with zero gravity. Rather than create this scene with a computer, which would have been easier for the special effects artists, Nolan attempted to craft it in real life, using harnesses and rotating cameras. The final product looks much cleaner and absolutely more badass.

A normal summer blockbuster is composed of these basic elements: action, romance, and terrible acting. Most movies out right now are incredibly enjoyable because of the first two elements, and despite the last one, it makes a real difference when the quality of all three is equally amazing. Take out the ten minutes of clunky, explanatory dialogue, and every unique part of the ensemble carried their weight throughout the movie. Leonardo DiCaprio, however, was a step above the rest.

Saying that he’s a good actor is a complete understatement and makes me sound like a broken record, but his portrayal of a tortured man of mystery did not seem forced at any point. It was an effortless display of a man who tries so hard to get what he wants. Inception is a movie that will be remembered for years to come for its mind-blowing content and superb acting.

Photos:

• Inception (Internet)