Generally I do not review newer films (as most readers of my pieces here can attest to.) As a filmmaker myself (one that is working to at least SOME small degree) I don’t like to pick at my… erm… “competition” (being generous to my no-budget self, I know), at least not publicly, as I try and be a nice guy toward fellow contemporaries. However when something comes along like Inception and the mass of abject fawning that accompanies it, it’s hard for me to stay silent.
I saw Inception two nights ago. I thought it was a beautifully shot, well edited (if not well paced), nicely thought out film. The special effects for the most part were better than average (save for the street scene explosions and finale lightening storm) with the most talked about “anti-gravity” fight scene not only being the highlight in effects, but the whole film for me.
Now. Why did I see Inception? I saw it because, like James Cameron’s Avatar and Nolan’s last film, it is being heralded as the cinematic equivalent to the “second coming of Christ.” It’s been called “The greatest film of all time!”, “A landmark in cinema history!”, “In ten years Inception will be a religion.”, etc, etc.
After seeing the film I wondered as I did after seeing the previously mentioned Avatar and Dark Knight, just what movie it was people had seen?
In a nutshell, Inception is an amalgamation of the Japanese Anime Paprika (far TOO liberally borrowed from it I might add), 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Matrix (which in itself was an amalgamation of many things.) For a modern film, yes, it is moderately “intelligent.” BUT what it most reminded me of was one of those conversations you’d have with your friends, late at night after watching a bunch of horror movies and getting hopped up on soda. You know, those conversations that seem profound and deep to you and your buddies at the time, but then years later you think “what the hell was I thinking?” Except that conversation was then turned into a screenplay and given 200 Million Dollars to make it into a film.
I understood Inception very well (I am a big fan of heady, scientific oriented thrillers, both in film and novel form.) There isn’t much to understand. There are a group of people who make a living messing in people’s dreams, extracting secrets, information, etc. They get assigned to implant (rather than extract) an idea, within a dream, within a dream. The team leader has psychological issues involving his dead wife, that interfere with their work. They go in, implant the idea and come out. The only moment of real ambiguity in the plot/film is the attempted “twist” ending that (spoilers) tries to tell you it all may still be a dream, or not, maybe.
That’s it. There’s nothing deeper than that.
Watch it more than once (although, there is no need to), there’s nothing else to it. No deeper meanings or shades. Hell, the only character that gets any development is DiCaprio’s and his development is mostly tried and true movie cliche.
It (and the other critics who have so glaringly defended it) would like you to think there’s more to it than that. But there isn’t. The closest comparison I could call to Inception would be Star Trek- The Motion Picture. It’s a big budget, gorgeous, but bloated movie, with lots of technobabble and self importance, that in the end isn’t able to live up to it’s own desire to be profound. The old phrase “a whole bunch of sound and fury signifying nothing” comes to mind.
Unlike ST-TMP, it isn’t hip to like or like it’s director, so it gets hated on, despite being more fun and better acted than Inception.
The only (sad) reason Inception has been loved on as much as it is, is because audiences today aren’t used to getting any semblance of intelligence or thought with their big “popcorn” flicks anymore. So when something moderately well thought out and competently made/acted comes along, LIKE The Dark Knight, Avatar or Inception, it’s a new thing to the audience and critics who have been beaten to a pulp by the lesser fare that permeates cinema today, and they treat it all far better than it deserves.
If it seems like I’m trying to hate on Inception, I’m not, I just want to give it the review it actually deserves, not take a ride on the “kiss-ass” train. As mentioned, for a modern film, I think it was moderately intelligent and they pulled it all together decently. DiCaprio as always (in my opinion) was forced, strained and unbelievable in the lead role. Marion Cotillard pleased me early in the film, but by the end I wanted to kill her. Ellen Page was surprisingly decent, as I usually dislike her. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was great as always. However, Tom Hardy, turned out to be my favorite of the actors, he was quite witty, well timed and really seemed like he was having fun in the part.
As mentioned earlier, it was well shot. The location photography was gorgeous as were the sets. The editing was a bit too liberal. The film could have used a good 30-40 minutes of excision. Some of the effects were a bit flat, most were better than we usually get these days. And, the anti-gravity fight scene in the hotel was a thrilling technical feet (undercut by the rest of the plot interacting with it.) The score by Hans Zimmer was far too over the top in all the wrong places. And ultimately, it was just a hollow experience to me, that will never hold up on repeat or home viewings.
6 out of 10 Amalgamated Self-Important Knock-Offs
We hope you're enjoying BRWC. You should check us out on our social channels, subscribe to our newsletter, and tell your friends. BRWC is short for battleroyalewithcheese.
Trending on BRWC:
Nosferatu: Review
It All Comes With The Cold Water: Review
The Last Showgirl: Review
1 COMMENT