Movie Review: Inception

I'm just going to bluntly state this as my opening sentence: best movie of the summer. Now that it's been said, it's time to break it down. Take everything positive I said in my last review of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and amplify it. Graphics-amazing, cast-superb, storyline- profound, staggering, mind-blowing. This is by far the best movie of the summer, even beating out (dare I say it) Iron Man 2. Don't get me wrong I'm all for Tony Stark beating on some bad guys, but the original was better and the final battle was short compared to the rest of the movie. But who am I to judge what movie reins supreme? Right now I've got on my reviewer pants, not my comparison pants, so let's get to it.

Mr. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is an extractor. He has mastered the art of entering the subconscious and uncovering secrets within the victim's mind. However, a powerful acquaintance asks Cobb to attempt something that most extractors deem impossible: inception. I don't want to spoil anything (and trust me it's difficult not to) but the idea of inception involves planting an idea in an individual's mind so that he or she believes it to be true. In order to accomplish the task set before him, Mr. Cobb assembles a team of specialists including such actors as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and Tom Hardy. I myself thought that DiCaprio and Page's acting specifically was astounding. Their characters are believable individuals with actual personalities, Cobb with his troubled past and Ariadne (Page) with her curiosity to uncover the truth behind Cobb's actions.

The storyline is in itself a masterpiece. The thought provoking style of this film reminded me somewhat of The Matrix. Both films leave the viewer questioning their own reality, or in fact, what is reality. Although I realize some people may leave the theater confused about the plot or not understanding some aspects (trust me if you leave to go to the bathroom during this movie you're pretty much screwed) however, if you pay attention throughout the film, you'll be able to comprehend the major components.

The special effects within Inception are definitely not to be forgotten. Although I myself am majoring in physics, the shear disregard to the fundamental laws of physics was a sight to behold. Because most of the movie takes place within the subconscious, physics can easily be manipulated within one's dreams. None of these effects were overused while the action and story flowed perfectly when CGI was implemented.

I found myself on the edge of my seat from beginning to end of this film. The last scene of the film, I must add, is perfectly scripted and amazingly produced, leaving the moviegoer with a yearning question in which it is very likely to second-guess the answer. (That's my way of saying the ending was epic, for lack of a better word). While most of the time, within my group of friends that I go with to the theater, I am usually the only one to save his ticket, this time around, I found my friends holding onto their ticket stubs and making sure they hadn't thrown them away. This movie is definitely one of the best films I have seen in a very long while. It redefines, as least in my opinion, movie-making at its roots. Of all the movies that have come out this summer, this is definitely the one to go see.

A definite 5 out of 5.

"Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange." --Cobb