The
Inception
unfolds
is
a
near-future
setting
in
which
devices
have
been
invented
that
allow
individuals
to
invade
the
dreams
of
others
and,
if
they're
clever
and
experienced
enough,
extract
secrets
revealed
by
way
of
the
subject's
subconscious.
One
of
the
best
such
thieves
is
Cobb
(Leonardo
DiCaprio),
who
is
being
recruited
for
a
job
by
corporate
magnate
Saito
(Ken
Watanabe)
after
failing
in
an
espionage
attempt
to
steal
one
of
Saito's
secrets.
At
first,
Cobb
isn't
interested,
but
then
Saito
offers
a
carrot
that
Cobb
can't
refuse:
the
opportunity
for
past
crimes
to
be
forgiven
-
something
that
would
allow
him
to
return
to
the
United
States
and
see
his
two
young
children.
The
nature
of
Cobb's
infractions
is
not
immediately
revealed,
but
they
involve
his
wife
(Marion
Cotillard).
What
Saito
wants
is
not
an
ordinary
request.
Instead
of
asking
for
an
extraction,
he
demands
an
inception
-
the
implantation
of
an
idea
deep
in
the
subconscious
that
will
bear
future
results.
Most
dream
thieves
consider
this
impossible,
but
Cobb
disagrees,
because
he
has
done
it.
It's
risky
and
dangerous,
but
possible.
The
target
is
Robert
Fischer
Jr.
(Cillian
Murphy),
who
has
just
inherited
the
corporate
empire
built
by
his
father
(Pete
Posthelthwaite).
Cobb
assembles
his
team,
beginning
with
his
frequent
compatriot,
Arthur
(Joseph-Gordon
Levitt).
Together,
they
recruit
an
"architect"
-
the
individual
who
builds
the
dream
worlds.
She
is
Ariadne
(Ellen
Page),
a
student
studying
under
the
tutelage
of
Cobb's
father-in-law
(Michael
Caine).
After
Ariadne
undergoes
her
training
(which
serves
as
a
tutorial
for
the
audience,
as
well),
the
final
two
members
are
brought
on
board:
Eames
(Tom
Hardy),
who
can
impersonate
anyone
in
a
dream,
and
Yusef
(Dileep
Rao),
a
chemist
whose
drugs
can
keep
sleepers
sedated
or
bring
them
back
to
wakefulness.
Together
with
Fischer
and
Saito,
these
five
travel
into
a
dream-within-a-dream-within-a
dream
where,
three
levels
deep,
they
attempt
the
inception.
Nolan"s
Inception
is
a
very
good
film
that
involves
the
intellect
while
at
the
same
time
not
ignoring
the
visceral.
There
are
numerous
straightforward
action
scenes,
including
Matrix-like
gravity-free
hand-to-hand
combat
and
a
car
chase,
that
inject
some
adrenaline
into
the
proceedings.
In
fact,
the
entire
second
half
of
the
film
amounts
to
one
massive,
carefully
choreographed
sequence
of
escalating
suspense
as
dangerous
circumstances
unfold
across
three
levels
of
dreamscapes.
Hans
Zimmer's
pounding
score
and
Nolan's
careful
cross-cutting
tie
everything
together
perfectly.
Seemingly
half
of
Nolan"s
Batman
series
cast
is
in
the
film
-
Ken
Watanabe,
Cillian
Murphy,
Michael
Caine.
Of
course,
when
working
with
actors
of
that
caliber,
it's
hard
to
go
wrong.
DiCaprio
undoubtedly
one
of
Hollywood"s
most
versatile
actor,
brings
full
weight
of
his
talent
to
bear
on
a
difficult
role.
DiCaprio
has
to
hint
at
unpleasant
secrets
in
Cobb's
past
while
forging
a
bond
with
the
audience.
It's
up
to
the
performer
to
make
Inception
more
about
human
beings
than
about
special
effects.
He
succeeds
and
that's
one
reason
why
this
movie
isn't
only
about
challenging
ideas
and
eye
candy.
Ellen
Page
is
very
good
and
so
is
Marion
Cotillard
in
the
very
few
scenes
that
she
gets.
The
special
effects
in
Inception
serve
the
story,
rather
than
the
other
way
around
-
which
is
a
rare
occurrence
these
days,
when
the
emphasis
seems
to
be
on
providing
viewers
with
visual
amusement
park
rides.
In
Inception
we
are
presented
with
cities
where
streets
defy
gravity
by
arching
overhead
and
massive
cliffs
that
collapse
into
the
sea.
There
is
a
point
to
everything,
most
often
to
illustrate
how
dreams
distort
the
commonplace
into
something
that
defies
the
natural
laws.
Inception
is
a
colossal
piece
of
work,
not
only
as
a
storytelling
marvel,
but
also
as
a
technical
achievement.
It"s
so
rare
these
days
that
we,
the
moviegoers,
get
to
experience
something
wholly
original.
Just
don"t
miss
it
for
anything.
Director:
Christopher
Nolan
Cast:
Leonardo
Dicaprio,
Ellen
Page,
Marion
Cotillard,
Cillian
Murphy,
Michael
Caine
and
Ken
Watanabe
Rating:
4
out
of
5*