Five Reasons Why You Must See ‘Inception’
This week brings us the release of Christopher Nolan’s Inception, and I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a summer film. Christopher Nolan is fast becoming one of the greatest directors of our time and his latest creation presented a challenge on par with resurrection the Batman franchise. Luckily for us, Nolan once again knocks it out of the park. It is an inspired, thrilling, and ultimately stunning epic that will surely take its place among the best cinema has ever offered. If that isn’t enough to convince you to see Inception, here are five more reasons:
Christopher Nolan
As I said, the guy has elevated himself to the top of the list of working directors by delivering the goods time after time after time. He has no mediocre bone in his body and simply refuses to make conventional films. I think his treatment of Batman stands as proof of his perfectionism. What would have been standard, popcorn comic book fare in lesser hands garnered best picture buzz under Nolan’s direction. Inception has the potential to be his best film to date because it is the perfect blend of his earlier, intellectually weighty material (Memento) and the more action-based genre films (The Dark Knight) that have made him a household name. Inception represents the culmination of an entire career of separate spheres that are finally united in one glorious opus.
The Cast
While I won’t argue that Leonardo DiCaprio has more than established himself as one of the preeminent leading men in Hollywood, Inception can easily be regarded as his best film. The fine body of work he has amassed over the last eight years now feels like an impressive audition for this role. Adding to the ensemble are a sharpened and honed Joseph Gordon-Levitt, an against-type Ellen Page, an exceptionally poised Tom Hardy, and a more emotionally complex Cillian Murphy than we’ve ever seen before. Another testament to Nolan’s directing abilities, the performances across the board in Inception are flawless.
The Visuals
If the trailer’s visual appetizers piqued your interest, I can assure you that it does little justice to what you will actually behold. As per Nolan’s modus operandi, you can expect unparalleled cinematography, but the visual effects of Inception are on another plane of existence Say what you will about Avatar, but I think what Inception achieves in a far more terrestrial landscape is equally impressive. The term “jaw-dropping” has become a cliché, but I kept discovering my own mouth agape as the visual ballet of style and violence played out before my eyes.
The Story
The only thing that surpasses Nolan the director is Nolan the storyteller. From Following to Memento to the Dark Knight, he has demonstrated an incredible knack for constructing plots and character arcs that are impossible not to be captivated by. Inception represents Nolan’s most enthralling story to date; he weaves this tale as eloquently and passionately as anything he has ever done. The word brilliant is often batted about in film criticism without regard to its meaning, but Inception is a film that truly deserves the distinction.
Summer Savior
It’s no secret that this has not been the greatest of summers for film. The films that have been released, on average, have been abysmal. Killers, Marmaduke, Jonah Hex, and The Last Airbender have been critical disasters that bring the “summer blockbuster” connotation to a new low; and we haven’t even made it to Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore yet. And this summer hasn’t just been bad in terms of the quality of the films; theater attendance has been dismal as well. While the latest Twilight film has enjoyed record business, box office sales in general are the lowest they’ve been in years. Inception has all the right components to save this summer both artistically and commercially. It is the smartest summer release in ages and I am hoping its breathtaking visuals and action-driven plot drive people to the theaters in droves. If Inception does inspire a sudden upswing in ticket sales, perhaps studios will come to understand that there is no longer a need to dumb-down summer films in order to rake in summer profits.
