Preface: I never read reviews before watching a movie. I strongly feel that by knowing any bit of the story kills the very essence of movie-watching. I am also not too kicked about the fact that Directors reveal parts of the story in the trailers itself !! So when the `Inception’ trailers came out, I was a bit perplexed... has Nolan revealed too much ?? And when one of my colleagues had this to say about `Inception’ - `Movie Samajh me nahin aaya’..I was truly disappointed and trudged into the theatre expecting the worst !! God, was I (thankfully!) mistaken !!
Now to the movie (i wont reveal the story due to reason above :-)) .......
The tagline `Your mind is the scene of the crime’ fits the concept of Nolan to a T !! After watching the movie, you only ask one question... How can anybody IMAGINE writing a story like this ?? The very fact that it took 10 years for Nolan to write the script bears testimony to this fact. In fact, this is the MOST ORIGINAL STORY you will ever come across.. it is multi-layered and is revealed with every passing minute, bit by bit... ending with such ahard-hitting climax that you will come out of the theatre waiting to go in once more !! (Sequels ???)
The performances are top-rate, Di Caprio (Cobb)as the guilt ridden thieves just tremendous !! His expressions in the scene towards the climax where the basis of Inception is revealed is awesome !! Reviewers have compared his performance with his earlier `Shutter Island’ (which I missed in spite of not intending to, thanks to the limited English movies that are shown here). However, if feel, his performance is at par with his `Revolutionary Road’.
Joseph Gordon Levitt as Arthur has the best of lines and best of action sequences. The zero-gravity fight and the subsequent lift sequence is just mind-blowing !!
Marion as Mal (Di Caprio’s wife) has a haunting presence throughout the film and looks ethereal specially towards the climax....
Othersupporting actors are also first rate ...Actuallythe Characterizationare etched soperfectly that all of them falls intoplace (like a jigsaw puzzle) After leaving the theatre, you dont recall any actorwhom you can replace(in casethe movie was to be made again).
Special mention needs to be made to the Music (Hans Zimmer) and Editing (?) of the film. The music elevates to the film to a different level.. the build-up towards the countdown (during changing levels) and background score during the action sequence are terrific. The editing, likewise, is first rate... in fact you will hardly realize how your 2.5 hours have passed !!
The Credits show him as the writer, producer and director of the movie.. but to me, he is the real HERO !! Firstly, I salute his conviction for spending 10 years of his life in building this script !! Then to convince his fellow producers to spend the bucks (USD 150 MN) and finally, to put all thats on the paper onto the screen... Christopher Nolan, take a bow !! In fact after watching this film, MATRIX looks juvenile.
Let there be no doubt about this ... `Inception’ is a movie of the lifetime !! There cannot be a better barometer of a movie’s effect if, even after 3 days of having watched, it still stays on with you !!
A small warning- the intial few minutes of the film needs some concentration and my advise is to switch off mobile, take toilet breaks/buy popcorns before the show starts ! Once it does, it is one helluva ride !! Happy watching !!!