Review: Inception

The sci-fi genre has tackled a bottomless pool of topics, from aliens to dinosaurs, technology to time travel, and all manner of themes in between. It can comfortably tie in with horror, romance, comedy, western… making it one of the most flexible and diverse styles of film on our big screens.

With so many of these areas already covered by the industry, it should come as no surprise that one of the most original films to hit the box office this summer hails from the genre. Delving into the subtleties of the subconscious, Inception looks at the complex mystery of dream manipulation.

In a world where technology has advanced in very different ways, the ability exists to explore the human mind through the use of dreams. Numerous people can be connected together and sent into a deep enough sleep to experience the same subconscious events, hosted from one person’s mind in a similar way to a computer server hosting a game on a console that everyone can play simultaneously. However, this leaves the mind of the “dreamer” vulnerable.

A tragic artist named Dom Cobb is our protagonist. Working as an architect, he once built the levels and environments for the dreamers to populate, using his imagination to create elaborate mazes so impressive that he was well renowned as one of the best. But following personal tragedy, he was forced to walk away from his former life, and now forges out an existence of crime with his closest friend, Arthur. Working jobs of “extraction”, they enter the dreams of people who have valuable information, and trick them into revealing it while they are unconscious.

However, when offered the chance to complete one last job in return for a way back home, Cobb recruits a team to attempt the impossible. Forced to face his ghosts, he and the team delve deeper into the human mind than any of them expect, in a race against time to complete their task and escape before they are sucked into a void of dreams.

Following a thriller-esque performance in Shutter Island, Leonardo DiCaprio gives a memorable performance as protagonist Cobb. Combining the athletic moves of a criminal desperately fighting to survive with the tenderness of a heartbroken man mourning his situation, DiCaprio plays his role to perfection, keeping you hooked on the story from beginning to end.

Cobb’s instabilities are balanced against the sensible criticism of earth-bound Ariadne, an architect rivalling his own abilities. Played by Juno‘s Ellen Page, she offers an astute, sensible edge to his selfish isolation, mixed with a keen, sometimes perilous curiosity that sharply reminds the audience that she is still only a student, and much younger than the rest of the team. Page gives the character the fragility of youth, while maintaining a steely sense of morality and a mature determination that makes her invaluable to the job at hand.

A testament to Ariadne’s personality is how quickly she cuts through Cobb’s defences when he hides so much of his difficulties from his best friend, Arthur. Played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who, until recently, I knew only as Cameron from 10 Things I Hate About You), he is seen to be fiercely loyal, defending Cobb when his stability is questioned without knowing for sure if his companion is right. Gordon-Levitt gives a stunning performance as the long-suffering character, creating a convincing emotional depth and interaction with the other members of the team, alongside some of the most breathtaking acrobatic scenes of the film.

The film also boasts an impressive cast. Michael Caine plays Cobb’s father, Miles, demonstrating to the audience where Cobb learned his trade as an architect and introducing him to his student, Ariadne. The team also includes Eames (Tom Hardy), a forger who can modify his appearance in the dream to mimic other people, and Yusuf (Dileep Rao), the chemist responsible for the sedation.

In keeping with the sci-fi genre, Inception enjoys toying with the laws of physics and reality. Some of the more impressive scenes include crashing waves from the ceiling, flipping and inverting cities, and even some combat with altered gravity. Though this may sound tacky, the use of these effects is perfectly fitting with the style and narrative of the film, linking delicately with events to create a sense of realism.

The film is so refined and engaging, it’s no surprise to find that it was crafted by the intuitive hand of Christopher Nolan, director of seductive mystery The Prestige, provocative thriller Memento, and the latest two Batman films, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

With such an impressive directive lineage, and boasting an impressively strong cast, Inception is one of the most inspired films of this year. Combining the strengths of a malleable genre with the subtleties of a subjective narrative, it’s unlike anything else on the big screen. This is one of those films that makes you think, and stays with you long after you’ve left the cinema… Take a friend, share some popcorn, and schedule some time afterwards to talk it over!

Kirsty Watkinson