Friday, July 30, 2010

Inception: A Review

I had high expectations with this.

Almost everyone who watched it said I will love it. Goes to show that they don't know me very well.

I didn't hate it. But I sure as hell didn't love it.

The production values are fantastic. Of course, if I had 100++ million dollars, I could pay people to do the same shit.

The concept is actually pretty simple. In fact, it is a trick writers normally employ to make their work seem to have depth.

Take the idea of a dream within a dream, and then fractalise it. In this case, a dream within a dream within a dream within a dream. And everything could have just been a dream. Yeah, don't sound too complicated now, does it?

The acting is good. I've always hated DiCaprio for some reason, but he is a great actor, I must admit.

His best performance, though, was in Gilbert Grape. This was just similar to Shutter Island, which was another letdown cause you could figure everything out within the first 15 minutes or sooner.

In Inception, I like the character of the other dude. The thin, professional one. Whatsisname. I believe that if his character, a smooth operator, was given the limelight, Inception could have been a better movie. DiCaprio's psychosis, guilt and difficulties of letting go - while relatable - seemed a little patchy.

It would have been interesting to see how a professional in his prime deals with guilt that slowly unravels throughout the movie and not something that was made the epicenter of it all.

All in all, great performance, good execution, but too simple a concept and simplistic viewpoint to make it a truly great movie.

Nevertheless, one of the best movies this year so far.

Maybe I should start a movie review column.