Inception: A Review

Christopher Nolan is one of the most popular directors working today. He has a well deserved reputation for making films that are dark psychological studies which are intellectually engaging and highly entertaining. Until he began directing the latest Batman films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, he was known for dark themed, smaller budget films like Memento and Insomnia. His version of Batman gained critical and popular acclaim, reinvigorating a tired franchise and establishing him as a director who gets better with every film he makes. Now, his latest film Inception is in theaters. I believe we are watching someone working at the very height of his powers. Inception is nothing less than a masterpiece, a work of sheer genius. Watching the film is an experience. You are riveted to the screen, not wanting to miss a moment of it. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, an expert in stealing a person's deepest secrets (extraction) who is hired to do what is considered to be impossible: to implant an idea into someone's subconscious (inception). This is the setup. The execution of the plan is the movie and what a journey it is. I won't ruin any plot points or reveal any spoilers because everyone should see this film. Some powerful themes are explored in this film to great effect: how guilt can drive us to dangerous acts, what is the difference between fantasy and reality, the power ideas can have for good or ill, the nature of reality and how we perceive it along with many others. It is absorbing to watch the story unfold. As long as you pay attention, you will not get lost. If a story is too complex, in the hands of a lesser storyteller, one confusing moment will lose the audience, taking them out of the story. There is no fear of that here. Christopher Nolan knows this material inside and out. Inception is a master storyteller at the peak of his art. If you haven't seen it, go see it. You will not regret it.