Justin Markert

Take a look at what’s playing in theaters this week and you’ll find that well over half of what’s out there is either a sequel, remake or cartoon/comic adaptation.  The same story, the same characters, doing basically the same thing over and over again. In an era where the major studios spew out the same banal, unoriginal, cookie-cutter stories faster than Mel Gibson releases mix tapes, it’s truly a breath of fresh air to see a film that brings something wholly original to the table. 

Writer-Director Christopher Nolan made his first big impression ten years ago with his brain twisting film-noir, Memento, a film that went backwards and forwards at the same time, following a man with short-term memory loss, to eventually meet in the middle. It confused us all, demanded multiple viewings and provoked many 2:00 am Denny’s conversations among me and my friends when we were in our late teens. (Nate Miller and I spent hours trying to find the “Easter Eggs” when the DVD came out.) It was during production of Memento that Nolan got the idea for Inception and started writing the script. Ten years ago. He’s been working on this movie for ten years. That, my friends, is dedication. It’ll be a miracle if I finish this review without getting distracted and finding something else to do in the next hour let alone the next ten years.   

Leonardo Dicaprio leads as Cobb, a master at the art of extraction. Some undisclosed time in the future, we’ve developed the technology to break into one’s subconscious by way of their dreams to extract information.  Cobb has recently made his living stealing secrets for corporations and he’s tired of it. He wants out, but not before One. Last. Job. The job that will get him what he’s been wishing for. The twist, this time Cobb and his team will need to plant an idea. This process? Inception. Now, at first read this sounds like one of two things, either a nerdy sci-fi Matrix rip off, or just another heist-but-it’s-okay-because-it’s-for-a-good-cause-so-we-can’t-really-fault-the-protagonist-for-breaking-all-kinds-of-laws movie. Rest assured, the future here is tasteful, think Minority Report rather than Demolition Man. What a relief to see a movie where the future isn’t post apocalyptical for once. And the heist? Not like anything you’ve ever seen before. Except for maybe Gone in 60 Seconds. Just kidding. So for those that shy away from Sci-Fi, stick around. Nolan’s done it before. The Dark Knight ended up being way more than a super hero movie. And who would have thought that a movie about two rival amateur magicians could be so captivating.

I’ve always felt like Leonardo Dicaprio hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves. I feel like he’s one of the greatest actors working today. Want proof? Watch The Departed again. I love Matt Damon, but working next to Dicaprio made him look like Ben Affleck working next to him in Good Will Hunting. Dicaprio plays  Cobb just right. There’s a subtly to his craft. He doesn’t over do it. Inception isn’t all Dicaprio though, the supporting cast are all spot on. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy are all great characters.

Inception is all class. It doesn’t need excessive blood, non-stop crude language or disturbing violence to carry it or to give it some kind of manufactured authenticity. It’s smart and not ashamed of it. Nolan doesn’t feel the need to appeal to the lowest common denominator. He is the architect that designs this world with the confidence that we WON’T get lost in it. This was a very ambitious film and could have been a train wreck. But somehow he keeps it all together til the last frame. I’ve been waiting for years for that next film that will put my mind to work. Inception is it.

Maybe Cobb and his team’s next job should be planting the idea in the heads of the major studios that their viewing audience isn’t made up of complete morons.