Inception: A Film Review...

I know, a week later right?

Truth is I watched Inception last Saturday night and am just getting around to talking about it now.

I'm not really sure how I feel about it some five days later.  There were parts I really liked and others that either reminded me way too much of other films (The Matrix) or just struck a wrong chord with me (OK, I know this is all taking place inside someones dream, but can't ANY of the bad guys shoot straight??  It's like a frigging GI Joe cartoon with their inability to hit anything despite the multiple thousands of rounds being shot...)

I'm also not as big a Christopher Nolan fan as many people currently are.  Both the Batman movies I found to be above average but nothing truly special, nor did I think Insomnia or The Prestige to be anything that would stick with me.

I think its mostly to do with the stories and their lack of logic and cohesiveness that strikes me as being wrong.  All of Nolan's films look good but also contain staggering levels of stupidity that I can't get past. Like the "vaporizing" microwave device in Batman Begins.  It vaporizes the water in the water system but NOT the water in everyone's body or at your local package store??  The plot device is just plain dumb and a quick fix for a lazy writer.  I guess the visuals are there to distract you from the dumb plot.

And its much the same with Inception.  Ooooo....a dream, within a dream, within a dream!!  Multiple levels of perception!!  Are you still in a dream or is it real life??  Ooooo...how original and new!

That being said, the look of the film and the way it feels is fantastic.  The visuals are almost jaw dropping.

The acting?  Well, I continue to like DiCaprio in most things he does and Inception is no exception.  He somehow maintains his indie cred despite staring in blockbusters like Titanic and this film and does an admirable job of carrying the charisma needed to keep an audience interested in a very convoluted story.

I'm glad Inception didn't win many Academy awards.  It didn't deserve them.  I just wish that Trent Reznor's Oscar speech in winning for the score to this film hadn't been so boring...