Inception (2010) Poster

(2010)

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10/10
Is it possible the makers understand how incredible this film is?
srcooper-756-64667122 December 2020
You only get to watch this for the first time once, so choose your state of mind carefully. It is a film about movies and dreams and reality, and what sort of life it is best to find when you leave the cinema and return to whatever you left to enter. It is spectacular, and brutal, and enigmatic and disturbing. It is beautiful and absorbing. It is about one of my favourite characters ever to grace the screen. I don't see it often, in case it's not as good as I like to remember it. That is my secret, that I lock away in my safe in the basement. That somewhere there is a perfect world for us all. For some, perhaps it is in the cinema watching this.
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10/10
Inception was only less shocking to me than the Matrix
mrmocun9 August 2021
When you wake up from a good dream, you feel the reality is harsh. When you wake up after a bad dream, you will be sentimentally attached to the beauty of reality. But as long as life is good, reality and dreams don't matter.
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10/10
Generation defining.
forzosky15 November 2021
The 20th Century had Casablanca, Star Wars, the Godfather, Blade Runner, and others - this is the first of the 21st Century masterpieces. Truly in awe at how amazing this movie is, an astounding show of all aspects of films. Amazing story and cinematography accompanied with actors worthy of telling the tale. Remarkable and breathtaking.
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8/10
Wait
konradbuczak1 February 2021
Wait, did i just watch this or is it just a dream?
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10/10
Answering all the questions with one answer: I feel guilt. ⭐
EVON1TY2 March 2023
When I first watch this movie, I was just shocked with it's twist. I'm not gonna mention details, because can't share any spoilers.

Simply this movie makes a complex story, that makes you question so many things. "Why he is keeping her in his dreams?" or whatever your question is answering with some well written line. That scene is the key to the whole movie. That line between Cobb and Mal answers all your questions at once.

That's why I like this movie so much. Some movies has that potential. Making a complex story that someone could answer with only one sentence. You're waiting for that line for whole content. But most of the contents (I mean movie or TV Series) are not managing that well.

Besides the greatness of the storyline this movie has a really great cast. So Acting Performances are also great. Award Winning Cinematography by Wally Pfister was too great. Original Scores by Hans Zimmer was brilliant. Visual Effects are unique. So not only the Screenplay but nearly all the technical details are great.
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10/10
Nolan at his most intelligent best.
marcusdean11813 July 2010
Inception is truly one of a kind. A concept which has long gestated in Christopher Nolan's mind, his eye for drama mixed with his large scale sensibilities ring true in Blockbuster season making Inception a true original in the sea of reboots, remakes and sequels.

To try and explain Inceptions many plot twists and incredibly intelligent arcs, would be a foolish task. As Nolan himself has been reluctant to. The best way to approach the film would be with an open mind, if you are prepared to be taken on a ride of a lifetime, then trust that you 100% will. If Avatar was a seminal film in technology (although coming out as a rather poor film, in my opinion), then Inception is seminal in it's storytelling. With a 148 minute running time, you would expect a lot to take place, but what you wouldn't expect is the pace of it all. I did not think at one time in the film about how long was left. I was simply blown away by the depth in every single part of the film. If my enthusiasm for the storytelling aspect of the film has left you worried about the spectacle, then don't worry. They are, as hinted in the trailer, incredible, looking real and unbelievable simultaneously. The most pleasing thing about the action set pieces, is that they are genuinely used to illustrate the story, rather than to blow stuff up a la Michael Bay.

With this complex movie in it's high concept, a stellar cast is needed. And Nolan as always, delivers with just that. This is vintage DiCaprio, perhaps only equalled in The Aviator, which is even more impressive as his role as Cobb in Inception is not a showy one, needing DiCaprio to be the constant at the centre of the film. And he pulls off Cobb's emotional contradictions sublimely. The rest of the cast members all shine in parts of the films, Cillian Murphy shows off his usually non-existent tender side, Gordon-Levitt bottles his usual charm for his confidently reserved turn as the reliable Arthur, Watanabe is devilish as the seemingly ambiguous Saito, Page shows why she's the next big female star and Tom Hardy revels in being the comic relief of the film compared to his recent turns as decidedly psychopathic characters.

Overall, Nolan has indeed surpassed himself. He has created a world as expansive as his Gotham, a plot dwarfing the intricacies of Memento and one which blows The Prestige's cinematic reveal out of the water. This is truly unmissable cinema. Revel in it, we've still got to wait a whole two years before Batman 3.
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10/10
My number one favorite movie
lhbaker-287834 June 2021
Inception is my number one favorite movie off my twelve years on earth! It's absolutely impossible to explain the incredible that Inception has. Inception is Sooooooooo dang exciting, edge of seat, mind blower, and I wish there were more movies like it and more Christopher Nolans out there. Congratulations to the well deserved best director, writer, and producer of films (in my opinion). Also the acting is fabulous, everyone did an amazing job, and Leonardo was fabulous at explaining the dream concept. Also the CGI and effects are amazing. Go watch Inception because it is incredibly amazing in every aspect, and is my number one film of my twelve years on earth. Bravo to the Inception crew and wow at this fabulous movie!
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9/10
Mindcraft...
Xstal31 March 2023
There are those who seek to dive into your mind, take your secrets and whatever else they find, espionage, conspiracy, infiltration, skulduggery, through worlds that are all conjured, well designed. They've been asked to plant a seed, start an idea, change the course of an industrialists career, but it needs dreams within deep dreams, an architect to build the schemes, and the consequences, could be quite severe.

Imaginative beyond words, elegantly crafted and constructed, presented and performed by legends of the screen with a great storyline that keeps the viewer constantly engaged and on the edge of their seat - what more do you want out of movies.
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5/10
Can't believe it's rated this high
jamesfoley-456684 December 2021
That fact this movie has an 8.8 Rating shows people's desire to be perceived as being intelligent. This movie is unnecessarily complicated for the sake of being complicated. The story telling is terrible. If a character in a story has to tell the audience directly what the hell is going on the story sucks. A lot of Christopher Nolan's stuff is like this. Whenever someone hears criticism of Inception the first line of attack is "you just didn't understand it". I understood it, just didn't like the way it was presented.

Having said that Christopher Nolan has a lot of original ideas and some of his stuff is good. He is still one of the only director's today that uses practical effects. The hallway rotating scene with Joseph Gordon Levitt was a practical effect and was amazing. Scenes like that was the only reason I rated Inception a 5/10.
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10/10
Incredible-Nolan keeps improving and Inception is by far the best improvement!
drakula20059 July 2010
I saw Memento very recently, something that turned out to be a great miss.I saw it again, just to make a couple of thins straight-and i'll definitely do the same with Inception.

Christopher Nolan keeps improving himself, with even more complex and multilayer script like this.And i thought Memento was hard to reach by most of the viewers, but no.Inception will keep you mesmerized and captivated by the genius, that's hidden behind it.And not just directors and screenwriters (or with other words-Nolan), but with acting and sound-and effects and editing as well.

When you have a cast like this-i mean Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Lewitt, Michael Caine, or Marion Cotillard (a personal favourite), the movie just keeps going flawlessly.Most of the crew is the same the Nolan brothers worked with on TDK and earlier in Batman Begins.So the Oscar noms in those categories are a certainty for me.

The only thing one could have against the movie, is the headache one could have.See, most of my friends go to the movies for brainless action, they enjoyed Iron Man 2 and The A-Team, but this movie-you have to see it at least twice, to understand it.The levels and the layers on which thing are happening are so many, that one surely'll miss something vital.This is a reason for not fitting to the mass audience, but i hope that won't happen, because Nolan is one of my favourite directors/writers, and he showed, that the brainless action flicks aren't all of it.There are still movies like Inception out there and still people like the Nolans to make those movies, so it's not all lost.And i hope this movie could show the audience that the story is still important for the experience one could receive, not the endless, constant explosions.Because this is really a one of a lifetime event.

Saying that, i must say, that in a world full of remakes, reboots, sequels, prequels and God knows what, this is a unique chance to see something different and unmatched so far-a strong movie, that, surely will be Nolan's latest masterpiece! My Grade won't change-it's the same for all Nolan movies-sheer 10!
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10/10
Perfect for Sci-Fi Fans
mollyshelhamer18 November 2021
Christopher Nolan's "Inception" (2010) is a complex science fiction thriller about a group of people with varying specific skills that create a perfect team of dream-sharers. Dom Cobb, the main protagonist, is an extractor who is able to find out people's secrets by intruding into their dreams. His right-hand is Arthur, who researches and plans what they are trying to accomplish in a dream. Bright graduate student Ariadne is the architect for the dreams, meaning she literally constructs the physical aspects of a dreamscape. Eames is a professional at turning into anyone else in a dream, almost like shapeshifting. Lastly, Yusuf is a chemist who creates perfect concoctions of sedatives to achieve ideal conditions for the dreams to take place. This elaborate combination of characters is asked by a rich businessman, Saito, to infiltrate his dying competitor's son, Robert Fischer's, dream and place an idea in his mind so that Saito's business can become more successful. Traveling through the layers of someone's mind and making them think of an idea on their own is what they call "inception." Cobb is dedicated to making this happen so that Saito can arrange for Cobb's return to America to see his children. Without Saito, Cobb would not be able to return to America because of his alleged criminal background, but Saito has connections and power to clear his name. Some members of his team think achieving inception is impossible, but Cobb convinces them to be on board and they must come up with a mastermind plan with no room for error to achieve this extremely difficult yet imperative task. They begin a three-layer plan that involves elaborate depths of the dream dimension, taking advantage of Fischer's sensitive and dysfunctional relationship with his father, practiced methods of leaving a dream and entering the next, all while trying to avoid Cobb's wife Mal who lives in his subconscious and often sabotages his plans. The shocking ending leaves viewers at a cliffhanger and fans theorizing.

Now that I've gone over the plot, let's talk about the other components of the film. The marketing strategies did an excellent job gathering hype for the film. The movie poster features the famous actors that everyone was excited to see, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page, and the rest of the dream crew. It also says "Inception" in a large red font and notes that is directed by the same director of "Dark Knight," which was an insanely successful and highly rated movie that was premiered two years prior to Inception. Dark Knight scored a 94% on rotten tomatoes and is #112 on IMBD's most popular movie list. This likely drew in the audience from Christopher Nolan's movies and set a high expectation for the quality of Inception. Another great marketing move was the contents of the teaser trailer. The trailer features a brief voiceover of Leonardo DiCaprio and amazing scenes with impressive cinematography taken out of context that show the viewers the production value and exciting action contents of the film all while confusing them so that they go see the film when it is released. I think the shock factor and science fiction aspect of the trailer is owed to the scene where a city block starts to fold over top of itself.

The content of the film stayed true to the marketing because the cinematography, directing, and acting is quite well-done. Starting with the cinematography, the zero gravity scenes and cityscape building from the ground up were very realistic looking and intensified the movie watching experience. There was a lot of attention to detail. The directing of Inception is very montage based. It draws amounts and amounts of suspense. For example, the montage near the end of the film with the van, the fortress, and the hotel was painfully long but created such thick suspense. For the acting, I only have compliments and no complaints. Inception was casted beautifully and everyone fit their roles perfectly. Leonardo DiCaprio did an excellent job as Dom Cobb, especially in the emotional scene with his wife and two kids in one of the dreams. My personal favorite performance was Cillian Murphy's role as Robert Fischer. He played as his character really well and he captured his relatively constant sadness surrounding his father situation.

Inception is a staple film in the science fiction genre and is similar to a few other sci-fi movies as well. Inception is at #135 on IMBD's most popular movie list and has a rating of 87% on rotten tomatoes, so there is no doubt about its quality. In my opinion, Inception is pretty similar to the well-loved movie "The Matrix" (1999) starring Keanu Reeves. They are both iconic science fiction and action films with themes of alternate realities. The second film I think is very similar is a more recent film, Tenet (2020) with Robert Pattinson. Tenet is also about bending the rules of science and is also directed by Christopher Nolan. If you enjoyed either of these movies, I recommend Inception. I also recommend it to general fans of Christopher Nolan's directing, so if you have watched and enjoyed any of his films, you would probably like Inception too.

On my rating scale of one to five, with one being the worst possible score and five being perfect, I give Inception a five. It has no weaknesses in my opinion. Every aspect of this movie combines into perfection. The acting and cinematography is what takes it over the top, and I am a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio and Cillian Murphy in all of the roles they play. This is a movie I have voluntarily watched multiple times and it only gets better with each watch. It is very complex and a complete experience to view. My favorite aspect of the film is the ending. Many people say they hate cliffhangers, but I enjoy them because it leaves it up to the audience to imagine. Basically, you can choose your own ending based on what you think makes the most sense with the facts you are given in the film.
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10/10
Amazing Directing, Captivating Plot, Overall Great
howemonika12 July 2010
I had the privilege of seeing this movie before it came out, and, like most of DiCaprio's films, it blew me away.

Inception is a well-made movie, filmed in about 6 locations all over the world. The directing was outstanding, there were only about two moments, maybe three seconds in total, where i noticed that visual effects were being used (of course defying gravity is pretty difficult).

The plot was very pleasingly intricate, with a twist-and-turn, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat type feel. I noticed that this film had similarities with DiCaprios thriller Shutter Island (which i also enjoyed very much)seeing as it left you wondering what was real and what was not. It's great to see a movie with a thick and emotional plot and not just grenade-throwing action heroes who achieve greatness in the end.

Inception also has a very well-composed score, which to me was the finishing touch to a perfect movie. If you're thinking about seeing Inception, definitely go! Even though i was fortunate enough to see a free show, it is worth every penny you pay.

Truly unique, like nothing i've ever seen before. Christopher Nolan certainly covered new ground with this film and wasn't afraid to leave us hanging with a spectacular ending.
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10/10
Nolan's first true masterpiece
technofunkie12 July 2010
Usually I try to be careful with over hyping a film, or setting the expectations too high, as film geeks all are guilty for, however for Christopher Nolan's Inception, this really is not possible.

This is possibly one of the only perfect films I have ever seen. It is absolutely confident in every way, something which is extremely refreshing, even more so than Avatar. Christopher Nolan gets some slack for making great to look at but ultimately heartless affairs, which I for one do not agree with, however I do not think anyone can argue that here. The emotional aspect of this film not only ties it all together but is really the centre of this film, it is the focus.

I do not want to over simplify the film, by simply calling it Kubrick doing Bond, or Gondry on a huge budget, because I am sure it will be called that but it is far more than that, it is something I do not think Kubrick could have ever made. It is pure Nolan, and pure greatness.

I hate writing something which is pure fan-boy gushing, but its really difficult here. I did not find a thing I did not like about it, I am sure if maybe I saw it a second time, maybe I would find something about it I didn't like, but not the first time. The way it is cut, means that there is always action on screen, if not, then the visuals are interesting enough to keep your eyes glued.

The final hour of the film, is possibly one of the most complicated action sequences put on film. You have to constantly be paying attention to remember all of the layers of what is happening. Without spoiling anything, all I have to say is that is what this film is about, that is what makes this film so great, layers. Once you have seen this you will now what I am talking about.

All of the actors are fantastic too, Di Caprio is the stand out here. Yes, this is probably due to the fact he is the star and given all of the emotional weight, but he handles it perfectly, similarly to his performance in Shutter Island. Ellen Page, whom I usually hate, gives a great performance here. Tom Hardy gives a break out performance here, he is quite the bad ass.

I hope audiences are ready for a film like this, a pure auteur driven film which does not sacrifice a single frame for the studio. I would hope this film will change Hollywood, as it is 100 percent the directors vision yet it is definitely a marketable film, much like District 9, yet I do not think it will.

I cannot recommend this film anymore than I have, I just have to say everyone and anyone should see it. Sorry about all the gushing, it is just so hard not too.

If you liked this review check out my new film blog: http://thedeletedscene.wordpress.com
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8/10
Sci-fi perfection. A truly mesmerizing film.
dvc515915 July 2010
I'm nearly at a loss for words. Just when you thought Christopher Nolan couldn't follow up to "The Dark Knight", he does it again, delivering another masterpiece, one with so much power and rich themes that has been lost from the box office for several years. Questioning illusions vs reality usually makes the film weird, but Nolan grips your attention like an iron claw that you just can't help watching and wondering what will happen next. That is a real powerful skill a director has. No wonder Warner Bros. put their trust in him, he is THAT good of a director, and over-hyping a Christopher Nolan film, no matter what the film is about, is always an understatement instead of an overestimate like MANY films before.

Not since the eras of Stanley Kubrick, Andrei Tarkovsky and Alfred Hitchcock has there been a more brilliant director than Christopher Nolan. He is, undoubtedly, one of THE most brilliant and gifted Hollywood filmmakers in history. Filmmakers like him come but just once in a lifetime. He has the ability to seduce our eyes, ears and most importantly, mind, and then delivers what he intends to deliver in full blast. Rarely have blockbusters have the gall to deliver such amounts imagination and intelligence at the same time. And yes, it is similar to the excellent anime film "Paprika" in the whole "invading dreams" plot, but the similarities end there as Nolan brings the film to a whole different level.

Visuals and intelligence rarely come together in movies at the same time, it's either all-visuals-no-smarts ("G.I. Joe", "Transformers") or the exact opposite ("Doubt", "Invictus"). In this film the excellently directed action sequences combined with immensely groundbreaking and jaw-dropping visual effects are combined smoothly with a heavy dose of intelligence and believability.

Although having an ensemble cast and financed by a Hollywood giant studio (Warner Bros), this film is a very personal film for Nolan, he wrote the film as well as directing it, and as you watch the film you get many glimpses of Nolan's perplexing, increasingly imaginative thoughts and dreams in the dialog that he writes and the plot that he sets up. Ideas have never felt more interesting and put to good use than in this film. This film is NOT for the popcorn muncher, rather it is a film for thinkers. Honestly I can't explain the plot for fear of spoiling the movie for you readers. Even the slightest hint will ruin the experience. The viewer will walk out of the cinema feeling dazed, confused and ultimately breathless. It's like a puzzle, both physically and mentally, and you have to pay attention throughout the film for the clues. However Nolan controls the spectacle of the film and is careful not to let it overwhelm the film's humanity, and this is where "Inception" shines. It is a very deep film that will have one thinking and asking questions for years to come. That's right, years.

Once the film ends, you'll want to watch it again, for there's something new every time. This is a film that requires multiple viewing for someone to truly comprehend the film's ambiguous themes, and will be discussed by many in the future. This is an original film, no adaptation, no sequel/prequel, no remake/reboot, which is extremely refreshing having gone nearly three years of mostly unremarkable visual effects roadshows ("Avatar" be damned).

Of course, a film is not complete without the actors. Leo DiCaprio delivers an Oscar worthy performance, similar but better than his previous effort "Shutter Island". He shows glimpses of a flawed, grim, fragile man, who has knowledge about everything else but yet can't seem to come in grips with himself and his demons. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Marion Cottilard, Pete Postlethwaite, Lukas Haas... Nolan really brings out the best in this unusual yet extremely talented group of supporting actors who make their roles their own.

Nolan is of course, a master behind the camera, a real virtuoso when it comes to film. His direction is taut, focused, gripping, and extraordinarily fascinating. The detailed and complex original script is no surprise from Nolan, considering the fact that he turned Batman the superhero into pop-culture art two years ago ("The Dark Knight"). The action sequences are unique, exciting and fresh, something absent from the cinema which has since been interested at things popping towards the screen and stuff blowing up every two milliseconds. The visual effects are awesome and imaginative, and best of all they do not bring down the movie's quality one bit, rather it makes the movie more fascinating to watch. The cinematography is absolutely, beautifully shot, so we can see the action and emotion in all their glory. Production design is top notch, with terrific design of sets and locations. Hans Zimmer's complementing music score is simply outstanding, and knowing the man, that's really all I have to say. Together all of these elements combine to deliver a mesmerizing movie experience like no other this year.

Christopher Nolan has once again outdone himself. He truly is a gifted filmmaker, arguably the most imaginative in Hollywood today. And "Inception" can proudly stand alongside "Blade Runner" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" as science-fiction masterpieces that push the boundaries for movie making and become a different experience altogether.

There are two types of films: the crowd-pleasing blockbuster and the intelligent indie/art film. Nolan has combined two of these tropes together into one exceptionally brilliant package, pulling off that rare, now nearly-extinct Movie Magic that has since been wiped off the planet by sequelitis and reboots. Movie of Summer 2010? Movie of 2010? Heck this is possibly the first masterpiece of the decade! Nolan is a genius and I applaud him for treating his audiences as intelligent people.

Missing this film and not getting the film's point is a crime.

Overall value: 9/10 (Excellent)
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9/10
Intellectual masterpiece
akdjreview23 November 2021
Inception is a beautiful piece of film that has impacted a large part of the film industry. With everything from the actors to the cinematography to the music, this movie without any elaboration perfected almost everything there is.

Inceptions slow start is the only weak point of this movie. It begins intensely to then slows down for the next 20 - 30 minutes. While then finishing off as an impeccable film. Nevertheless, this is what brings the film down for me.

The director Christopher Nolan managed to create a masterpiece with little to no mistakes. At no point during this intensely long movie did I feel bored. Instead, I was always excited and on my toes intrigued.

The acting in this movie was phenomenal. A small number of great actors that all had their character arc while also doing incredible performances. It is truly beyond me how Dicaprio didn't win an Oscar for his performance.

Meanwhile, also employing the greatest composer in history with Hans Zimmer, the music adds significantly. The music adds an extreme amount of excitement and keeps you constantly interested. Few composers can make you notice the music, but Zimmer succeeds per usual.

To finish of the film was astonishingly shot. With beautiful eye-catching scenes. While also containing some incredible action scenes that might be some of the best action I've seen. With a thought-provoking storyline that finishes of with an unbelievable ending.

I highly recommend Inception to everyone and I promise you won't be disappointed.
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7/10
Christopher Nolan continues his climb to the top... of the most overrated directors list
hot_action_ninja8 December 2010
If there was ever a film to label as "overrated", it would be The Dark Knight. If there was ever another film to label as "overrated", it would be Inception. I just don't understand what it is about Christopher Nolan's films but they have the tendency to receive large amounts of unwarranted and undeserved praise.

While they are very well-made films, they are for the most part nothing more than entertaining popcorn flicks (Memento being the one exception). Popcorn flicks of the up-most quality but nothing truly memorable or deep. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, lets get on with the review.

Now, basically, Inception is a heist film with a twist. The heists take place inside of a dream, thus allowing for some creative and tricky special effects to be pulled off. These effects are pretty amusing to watch, most notably a scene where the gravity of a hallway is shifting and the two actors are duking it out amidst the gravity shifts, and this makes for some impressive-looking chaos.

The story while somewhat original, wasn't pulled off as smoothly as it could have been in my opinion. There were just far too many plot holes that you could drive a tank through. Now with a certain proper ending, these plot holes would diminish, but Nolan has yet to confirm just what the ending means so the plot holes are left intact. If you want a better idea of what I mean by that, PM me.

Acting for the most part is good and gets the job done. Just don't expect anything Oscar-caliber here. If there was one stand-out performance in Inception, I would definitely say it's from Leo Dicaprio. The guy proves time and time again that he's one of the better young actors working right now. The rest of the cast gives passable performances, but nothing special. Michael Caine is wasted, and I feel the only reason he was hired was to get his name on the box.

Not much needs to be said about the special effects. They're some of the best yet, and at times even creative. Possibly the strongest aspect of the film, next to the effects, is the musical score. Inception has one of the best scores in recent memory. My hat is off to Hans Zimmer. The effects, score, and flawed but intriguing story come together in making Inception a very enjoyable and entertaining film. It's definitely smarter than your average popcorn flick, but at the end of the day it's still just a popcorn flick. Nothing more, nothing less. It lacks the emotional punch and attention to detail that made District 9 so great (now that's a true masterpiece, and one of the greatest sci fi films ever made).

I give Inception 7.5/10 and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun film that will also make them think a little bit.
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10/10
Nolan's best film by far
harveyneary-7306528 February 2021
This is an excellent film. The CGI is great. The characters are great. But I have one problem which is the character development. It didn't have much of it, but that is the only problem. The movie did start of really confusing, but in the 40 minute part I got used to the story. In conclusion this is a great film and I would highly recommend it.
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9/10
A Potpourri of Vestiges Review: Buñuel meets Kubrick in Nolan's most ambitious venture, till date
murtaza_mma26 July 2010
Surrealism can appear to be ineffably bizarre, or inquisitively titillating, depending purely on the viewer's intellect. Though the realm of surrealism is highly nebulous and complex, but even a slight attempt at improvisation can sometimes go awry and open a Pandora's Box, making the task highly improbable and nigh impossible. This facet of reality may pose a handicap to the most gifted of the directors, but not to the genius of Christopher Nolan, who not only dabbles with the concept of surrealism, but also ingeniously blends it with the elements of Science Fiction in his latest wonder named Inception. Nolan created a niche for himself a decade back by unleashing a monster of a movie called Memento. He further substantiated his status by conjuring movies like Insomnia, The Prestige, Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight. His unremitting desire for innovation and uncanny craving to foray into the unexplored realms of imagination deservedly earned him an auteur tag, which gave him the carte blanche that a story-teller like Nolan desperately needs. It's highly apparent that Nolan takes every possible advantage of this liberty while filming Inception. Inception is not only dreamlike, but is a dream in itself and is superior to any other thing conceived on the silver screen. With its entwined layers, the movie for the most part serves as an unfathomable riddle and makes multiple viewing extremely essential. It incredibly does extremely well on both the humanistic as well as the technical fronts. In fact, the balance between human emotions and the elements of Science Fiction is so adequate that it's impossible to separate them.

The movie is about a futuristic world where the human mind can be intercepted through dream invasion. Cobb is an expert in the art of extracting information (stealing valuable secrets) from deep within the subconscious in the dream state. His proficiency in extraction is marred by a turmoil that begins with his wife's untimely death. He is forced to live the life of a fugitive away from his children. His only chance for redemption lies with a Japanese tycoon named Saitu, who wants him to do an inception (planting information into someone's mind). In order to accomplish this unprecedented task, Cobb and his team must overcome a labyrinth of unforeseeable challenges, where even a slight miss could trap them in a perpetual limbo. Any further revelation would be remissness on my part as the plot is filled with such intricacies that even expatiation would be incapable of justifying its profundity.

Leonardo Dicaprio gives a solid performance in the lead role, following his memorable performance in Shutter Island. He has brilliantly depicted the complexities and limitations of Cobb's enigmatic character highlighting his pain and mental trauma. Marion Cotillard is ravishingly scintillating as Cobb's whimsical wife, Mal. The rest of the cast has given a thorough performance with special mention of Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Inception is incredibly brilliant as a movie and is a breakthrough in contemporary cinema. Nolan's creativity and his unparalleled execution definitely make it an object of great cachet, but whether it would become Buñuel's 'Un chien andalou' or Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey' and serve as a prototype for the movies to come is for the time to decide. Irrespectively, Inception is sine qua non not only for an aficionado, but also for the average viewer, who is willing to delve deep enough to savour the delight.

PS: One has to imagine it to believe it. 9/10

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9/10
An HONEST review
nmalik-9975929 May 2023
Inception is a resplendent cinematic experience that had me hooked from the opening scene till the very end. As a viewer, I was enthralled by its intricate plot. The characters in Inception are deeply nuanced and expertly portrayed by a remarkable ensemble cast. The chemistry between the cast members is palpable.

Visually, Inception is a feast for the eyes. Inception demands your full attention to grasp its intricacies; it requires active engagement and a willingness to navigate its twists and turns. Some may find its complexity overwhelming.

Inception is a cinematic marvel that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. Does it qualify as what is known as a "masterpiece?" Yes. However, SOMETHING, just something, held me back from a 10/10 rating. I'm not quite sure what, but there's just something small missing to get it to that perfect rating.

In conclusion, would I watch it a second time? Yes. Would I recommend you to watch it for the first time? Yes.
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10/10
Brilliant on every level
greenwardsuzy18 November 2021
Boring of me to say but this is one of my favourite movies of all time. Stellar performances, great plot and an ending that keeps you guessing. The CGI is exceptional and I think it's arguably one of Nolan's best films.
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7/10
Over long, Pretentious twaddle
altamishsiddiquee12 May 2020
This is not a bad film per se, had it been about 30-40 minutes shorter I would not have been too offended. But I'm genuienly perplexed as to how people can rave over it-#13 on all time list at time of writing!! There is virtually no character devlopment the plot overly complicated and riddled with holes and contradictions. Frankly you don't need to suspend disbelief so much has have it surgically removed and flushed down the toilet. By the end I was wishing I was in a dream within a dream policed by a completely arbitrary set of nonsence rules - any thing to get me out of that chair.
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5/10
Not Memorable
jacqueline-439-754892 August 2012
This film has great effects. That is about all I can say because I found its plot instantly forgettable. Slickly directed, it is a visual treat.

Leonardo D. is solid as usual, Ellen Page is good but she suffers from looking too young to have qualified as an architect.

I would struggle to think of any reason to recommend this film to anyone to watch because beyond the sight of Paris folding over there is nothing else to recommend. Not enough tension within the plot so I didn't actually care about the characters.

Looks good but not a great film.
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10/10
Come Back Again!
Hitchcoc31 July 2010
If one goes to an art gallery to see a provocative piece, one sees something new each time. That's what true art is. That's why a black light Elvis is not art. This film is certainly a tour de force. It requires engagement at every step. LIke most works of art, it doesn't give it all away. I look forward to seeing this the second or even third time. First of all, the premise is wonderfully engaging. Our consciousness is layered as everyone knows who thinks they have awakened, only to find themselves in another nightmare--then they awaken again. We know that the subconscious by nature is out of our control. There you have a wonderful premise. Now layer that further with people who can flip in and out and use this to their own ends. While confusing, it's exciting. The amazing thing is that the director/writer pulls it off. Every nuance and event is picked precisely for its effectiveness. We have the luxury of watching from one precipice into the abyss. We do care about the people and not just because we want them to succeed. We care about the matrix of the dream levels. Great movie.
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8/10
Am I dreaming
jordandorothy-3073911 December 2020
Though this was a very good, on your toes, don't blink kind of movie. In the end, I had to ask myself, "Was it all a dream?". Acting superb and directing on point. Very good movie.
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10/10
Masterpiece
manojitbaidya31 January 2021
An amazing science fiction movie... Christopher Nolan's another masterpiece... Need a sharp mind to understand the story & enjoy this movie.
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