Inception: First of all fantastic film. I loved it. But I heard a lot of mumbles and grumbles in the dark on Saturday night. One person I heard say as she skipped to the exit as soon as the film dipped to the credits, "That was too bloody long and not at all user friendly!"
She has a point only if you don't want to be engaged in a non stop narrative visual feast that's comin' at ya like an Escher drawing. Yes it's long and yes it requires engagement with the screen, characters, narrative and visual effects. It's not the most original idea (what is?), but the execution of the idea into an enjoyable film is a pleasure. I was engrossed for the entire flick and I was unable to leave my seat for a dash to the lavatory (I foolishly drank a large cola icy drink thingy). Inception gives good movie and I think it's rare to see such intense ideas and action succeed in such a demanding market. There were a few other smarmy comments about the running time, complexity of script, even a few exasperated yawns of boredom. My significant sidekick was itchy in her chair and looking to go to the lav. Still she stuck it out and enjoyed the movie.
Leonardo DiCaprio is at his best. He has at last grown up, taken that leap from Shutter Island where again his performance was outstanding. Inception has given him the brickwork for playing harder and tougher mature roles in the future. This guy has come a long way and his films get better and better.
Inception mixes genres like ice cream in that they swirl well together. One of the scenes is a brilliant parody of early 1980s Bond films or a latter day video game. This action scene is so well crafted that the rigor of the plot maintains the tongue in cheek action much like the television series 'Mission Impossible' that you are not put off by the ridiculousness of the spiraling narrative. The interweaving of ideas works and carries the film for its entire length.
Check it out.
JDDJ
I paid for my own ticket.