Inception

Overall Score: 84

Director: Christopher Nolan

Run Time: 148 mins

Rating: PG-13

Viewer Bias: 10

I must preface this by acknowledging that I love "Inception" director Christopher Nolan. "Memento" is brilliantly confusing, "The Prestige" is wonderfully clever, and both "Batman" outings are arguably the best of the super hero genre. Nolan's clever direction is only surpassed by his refreshingly intellectual writing. Nothing is ever as it seems and the audience needs to have half a brain to understand Nolan's films. Clearly, I had a bias in place. Nevertheless, "Inception" delivers upon my already outrageously high expectations. My only concern is that lack of hype that seems to be surrounding the film. It hasn't been given the commendation it deserves for a film that I would suggest as "The Matrix" of this new decade.


Direction: 9

Absolutely fantastic from start to finish. However, there are a few moments of cross cutting toward the end of the film where I heard a few giggles in the audience because of the somewhat ridiculous nature of the sequence. Nolan directs his already talented cast well and keeps the audience guessing throughout the entire film. That uneasy tension and continual self-reflexivity on the part of the audience is vintage Nolan and makes for a great escapist summer movie that perhaps belongs in Oscar season.


Editing: 8

As I just mentioned, a few cross cuts feel a little awkward because of the nature of the scene. However, the clever editing only deepens the audience's participating into the mystery of the film. For a film that takes some time to ingest, its pacing is very quick.


Acting: 8

"Inception" relies more on Leonardo DiCaprio than what the film's trailers may suggest, but the film does not suffer for it. The gifted cast again adds to the film's suspension of disbelief and is a direct catalyst an outstanding presentation.


Writing: 8

For a film this confusing, the writing does its job. Nolan felt compelled to throw in several terms to describe the act of invading a subject's dream and subconscious. Moreso than a few Harry Potter books it seems. Overall, the writing was fine albeit a little jargony.


Story: 10

The story behind "Inception," like "Memento" or any other Nolan film, is its bread and butter. This "smart" film is almost a reward for moviegoers whom have grown tired of mindless comedies rife with crude and immature humor (read: any Will Farell movie). "Inception" is a rare, completely unique idea that "The Matrix" is its closest semblance. Rightfully, I will not divulge details about the film's plot. Fans of "The Dark Knight" will ultimately enjoy "Inception" for its creative layer-upon-layer story similar to The Joker's many schemes in the capped crusader picture. "Inception" is one of very few films where the price of admission is easily worth it based on its story alone.


Cinematography: 8

The camera work of "Inception" is a cross between a summer blockbuster flick and horror film. You have your big picture shots at the same time you have your creepy, intimate close-ups. Inline with the rest of the film's excellent presentation are a few interesting shots to illustrate a few key concepts in the film's story.


Special Effects: 7

Again, the film's trailer is a little misleading. One receives an impression the film will be saturated with amazing special effects of buildings crumbling, city market merchandise exploding and sky scrappers folding upon themselves. Unfortunately, what you see in the trailer is nearly the full extent of these "wow" special effects. However, a jaw-dropping zero-gravity fight sequence, with what appears to be minimal CGI, is the true highlight of the film visually.


Music: 7

Composer Hans Zimmer is one the best film music composers of modern day. However, by the end of the film the reverberating fog horn noise heard throughout the film's trailer was almost painfully noticeable. Aside from that, the music again sustains a quick tempo and flows between scenes to add additional tension between scenes similar to "The Dark Knight." A clever tactic.


Wow Factor: 9

Yes, wow! "Inception" is easily the best film of the year, and with 10 nominations should, earn an Oscar nomination. There are few directions the film could have taken given limitless possibilities associated with dreams. I couldn't help but feel, at times, the film had some lost potential. I could have used a few more "folding landscape" scenes to really draw me into the fantastic nature of the film. However, Nolan ironically kept everything more grounded in reality than he needed to. My guess is that this is an intentional choice given the endless debated and painfully mysterious and gratifying ending to the film.

FILM - 84