By: Aggie Rieger
Inception, released July 16th earned a whopping $60.4 million it’s opening weekend, as reported by Times magazine. How good is this high-grossing film anyways? With a budget of over $160 million and reports that the script took eight years to construct, it’d better be pretty awesome. Still, sometimes it’s the worst films that receive all the box office glory.
I admit that I didn’t know much about Inception walking into AMC theatre one sunny afternoon. But by the time I left, I was on a sort of high only achieved through a fantastic Hollywood blockbuster, and surprised to see that the sky had grown dark. Inception runs short of two and a half hours, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.
Inception begins with a bang. Unfortunately, the opening sequence is entirely confusing. Through the scene I wanted to lean over to one of my fellow viewers to ask what them what the heck was going on, but I was positive that they were equally baffled. But from there, the film easily slides into a quick turn for the best. Slowly but surely the concept is explained and presented very nicely. The events are compelling, layered, and still easy to follow. As long as you listen closely and keep your eyes glued to the screen, everything is explained. The special effects are astonishing as well and the original score composed by Zack Hemsey is gripping.
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight, Inception is a fast paced action thriller. The plot revolves around Dom Cobb portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, an intriguing character whom steals information from individuals by entering their minds through dreams. In order to do this, Cobb, along with his team, sedate their targets and draw them into a dream in which Cobb and his team have created. Extraction can be dangerous, but worth the price for these men. In the film, Cobb is challenged to do the opposite of taking information. He is challenged to place an idea into the character Robert Fisher’s mind in hopes of convincing him to break up his father’s company. This act, known as “inception” is deemed impossible by near everyone. This doesn’t stop Cobb. Cobb assembles a team and begins a breathtaking psychological adventure through Fisher’s mind.
It’s a shame that in many huge movies similar to Inception, the acting is placed on the backburner. There are countless tales of movies that have lost their shine because the acting fell short. Inception is definitely not one of those movies. The entire cast is fantastic and near unforgettable. DiCaprio is notably joined by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer), Ellen Page (Juno), Tom Hardy (Marie Antoinette), Oscar-nominated Ken Watanabe, and Marion Cotillard (Public Enemies).
Inception is a wonderful summer hit and a definite must see; just make sure you pay attention and learn to go with the flow. Filled with action, adventure, twists, and turns, Inception is my pick for the best movie of the summer by far.
