Inception Review

This review (which was written before Elliot Page came out as transgender) is taken from my Letterboxd profile, where I review all of the movies I see.

This is one of those movies that I had heard such great things about but was terrified that I wouldn't like. I was worried I was gonna think it was overrated or something, but nope. 10 minutes into the movie, I was already entranced by how incredibly well-made this movie was. Honestly, this isn't even the kind of movie that I thought it was going to be where you have to watch it all the way through once to understand what's happening and then watch it again to fully comprehend everything. By about an hour or so in, I was able to grasp the basic idea behind this movie and the different layers of storytelling that were happening within it, and part of that is due to Christopher Nolan's absolutely incredible direction. The fact that he didn't win a directing Oscar for this film is, in my opinion, an absolute crime. The action sequences are unlike any I've ever seen put to film, the way a family drama is executed is unlike any I've ever seen before, and the visual effects are just... mind-blowing. 30 years from now, this movie is still going to look fantastic.

This film's editing is also fantastic. A lot of moments in this film revolve around watching different dream sequences unfolding at once and at different times. The film is clever enough to give the sequences that take the least time the least amount of screentime and the sequences that take the most time the most amount of screentime. Genius editing like that (along with puzzle pieces inserted throughout this movie's story to allow you to follow it even better the second time you watch it, I assume) makes the film's universe feel tangible and fully-realized, and it definitely heightens the tension a lot. Again, the visual effects and action sequences are incredible and keep you on the edge of your seat, but a big part of the tension-building is Hans Zimmer's euphoric soundtrack, which if not my personal favorite of his scores is definitely my second favorite (The Lion King is just too special for me).

Every performance in this movie is fantastic as well. Sure, maybe some actors don't get as much to work with (Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy, in particular), but that doesn't keep them from being really good. In terms of dramatic performances, though, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page definitely steal the show. Apparently, Brad Pitt and Will Smith were offered DiCaprio's role and James Franco was offered Gordon-Levitt's role at one point, but in my opinion, Gordon-Levitt and DiCaprio were the perfect choices for these roles. They have a fantastic camaraderie together, and the exploration of DiCaprio's past is one of the best parts of this entire film. DiCaprio and Page definitely get some great dramatic scenes in here as well, and in general, all of the performances here are great. Marion Cotillard and Ken Watanabe, just to name a few, are also great here. However, this film isn't as concerned with showing great performances as it is demonstrating great editing, great storytelling, great direction, and great special effects, and it does that perfectly.

Inception was just the movie I hoped it would be from the get-go and more. It's intense, it's incredibly interesting, it takes a fantastic sci-fi concept and utilizes it to its full potential, and it demonstrates great filmmaking techniques in general. If you've been living under the same rock I have and haven't gotten the chance to see this movie yet, it apparently just came out on Netflix. Great direction, writing, acting, visual effects, editing, music, tension, pacing, and so much more... there is not a single thing I can think of that is wrong with this movie.

Letter Grade: A+