Movie Review: Inception

Alternate Title: Snoozer

Story: The hoopla surrounding this movie is that it is too deep for the average person to understand. I disagree with that idea entirely. It is not too hard to understand – it is just boring. It almost put me to sleep (and I am not a napper).

The premise is that Dom Cobb is the best in the dangerous art of extraction. What is extraction? No, it has nothing to do with dentistry (although sitting through it was somewhat painful). He and his crackerjack team are able to steal valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb and the team are now involved in the sleazy world of corporate espionage so they have become fugitives which leads to much running, chasing, shooting, falling, crashing and explosions.

Cobb is now being offered a chance at redemption and a stab at getting his life back and losing his fugitive status if he does just one more espionage job. Only this time, the job involves inception of an idea into the dream state, rather than the extraction of an idea.

Written and directed by the very talented Christopher Nolan who normally holds my interest. This time, however, there is more splash and glitz and very little story. By film’s end I could not care less what happened to anyone.

Wake me when it’s over.

Acting: Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb has his usual intense, furrowed brow but this time, he was simply eye candy. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur is one of my favorites, but even here, he fails to shine. Ellen Page as Ariadne was totally miscast. She reminded me of a cute puppy that wandered into the wrong film. Tom Hardy as Eames was the most interesting of all of the characters. Ken Watanabe as Saito was difficult to understand. Dileep Rao as Yusuf was fine. Cillian Murphy as Robert Fischer Jr. is always good. Tom Berenger (as Browning was almost unrecognizable.Marion Cotillard as Mal is always good. Pete Postlethwaite as Maurice Fischer is underutilized as is Michael Caine.

Trivia: Marion Cotillard won an Oscar for her portrayal of Edith Piaf a few years back. Edith Piaf’s voice is heard throughout the film and I found that quite amusing. Trade marks of director and writer Christpher Nolan include: Begins his movies and introduces his main characters with a close up of their hands performing an action. Often works with editor Lee Smith, composer David Julyan, cinematographer Wally Pfister, production designer Nathan Crowley and wife-producer Emma Thomas. Often casts British or non-American actors in American roles. Frequently casts Christian Bale, Michael Caine. Usually starts films with a flashback or a scene from the end of the movie. When shooting a dialogue scene, the actors are often framed in wide close-up with a shallow depth of field to blur out the background. His main characters are usually men with a goal who face adversity. Films conclude with the two central characters discussing the preceding events and the results which have stemmed from said events. Non-linear timelines (Following (1998), Memento (2000), The Prestige (2006))

Predilection: None

Critters: One cat

Food: You cannot eat while dreaming it seems.

Soundtrack: The Edith Piaf tune, ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’ is wonderful but much of the track is loud.

Opening Titles: All titles are at the end.

Visual Art: Some fine CGI effects but after awhile I was bored.

Theater Audience: Pretty crowded for a Wednesday afternoon.

Sappy Factor: 0

Quirky Meter: 0

Squirm Scale: 0

Drift Factor: I drifted quite bit once I figured out what was going on and on and on.

Predictability Level: High

Tissue Usage: 0

Oscar Worthy: No

Big Screen or Rental: If you like special effects I would say go for the big screen.

Length: 22 minutes over the Lobo two hours rule.

LOBO HOWLS: 5