INCEPTION Review Thread (SPOILERS!!)

[vegeta88]

Just got back from the IMAX.

Let's see. I loved 95% of the movie. The ideas, the characters, the directing, the reveals, the acting, and the story were all superb. I can't help but compare Leonardo's character to (spoiler for another movie this year as well)

[Show spoiler] his character from Shutter Island. Both had a wife go insane to the point of murder, both wives had problems with the kids, and both ENDED the same! Not saying anyone stole an idea here (no pun intended); they were just very very similar.

With that in mind, the reason why I am on the fence with this movie is because

[Show spoiler]I don't like the way it ended. Not that they did a bad job; it leaves me with a bad taste.

The rest of the movie was amazing! I really liked all the performances; the movie had an excellent cast. I was really impressed with just how intricate the plot became and how complex the

[Show spoiler]dreams had to be with the mazes and paradoxes and the kicks

. Also, everything that everyone said was cool, I agree with.

[Problematique]

Fantastic film. It really does mind fudge you. 10/10

[mikey6]

WOW! JUST WOW!! that was all kind of Epicness 10/10 ..Will definately be the 1st movie i see more than once in theaters I mean DAYUMM!

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

Just got back from the IMAX.

Let's see. I loved 95% of the movie. The ideas, the characters, the directing, the reveals, the acting, and the story were all superb. I can't help but compare Leonardo's character to 9spoiler for another movie this year)

[Show spoiler] his character from Shutter Island. Both had a wife go insane to the point of murder, both wives had problems with the kids, and both ENDED the same! Not saying anyone stole an idea here (no pun intended); they were just very very similar.

With that in mind, the reason why I am on the fence with this movie is because

[Show spoiler]I don't like the way it ended. Not that they did a bad job; it leaves me with a bad taste.

The rest of the movie was amazing! I really liked all the performances; the movie had an excellent cast. I was really impressed with just how intricate the plot became and how complex the

[Show spoiler]dreams had to be with the mazes and paradoxes and the kicks

. Also, everything that everyone said was cool, I agree with.

We probably went to the same one, I saw it at IMAX too.

I loved it. Agree with first spoiler definitely, but no problem with second spoiler.

I'd like to write a more substantial review, but I am at a loss for words. Mind: blown. Or something, haha

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by Tyger

We probably went to the same one, I saw it at IMAX too.

I loved it. Agree with first spoiler definitely, but no problem with second spoiler.

I'd like to write a more substantial review, but I am at a loss for words. Mind: blown. Or something, haha

Hahaha same here, at a loss for words. I'm just trying to remember the whole thing. The great skill of Christopher Nolan is that he does not waste a single frame.

The second spoiler in my post is completely subjective to my feelings. Certain things give me bad feelings,

[Show spoiler]the ending to this movie and the other mentioned is one of them

.

Was it the downtown theater?

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by Offender_Mullet

So is this movie one big mind fudge like Memento was? Obviously I don't mean in that particular style, just overall.

I wouldn't say that the film is "one big mind fudge." But, it most definitely is a MIND TRIP!

HOLY CROW! It has been a long while since a film had such high expectations in my mind going into it and still managed to go leagues beyond impressing me. The scope and design of this film is so intricately constructed that I'm certain it took more work and attention to detail than is required of Ellen Page's character in her responsibilities in the film! THIS FILM IS TIGHT!

Something I have to get off my chest while it's fresh on my mind...
I DEMAND A DIRECTOR'S CUT ON BLU-RAY THAT IS EXACTLY 2 SECONDS LONGER!!! Those who have seen it know exactly what I'm talking about!

[Show spoiler]WHAT'S WITH THE DAMN TOP?!?!?!?!

Back on topic...
The only two things that irked me, and very little at that, were:

#1. The excessiveness of the shaky cam during action sequences. I would have liked to have seen a better technique used in order to help establish that the action was taking place in a state of perceived reality. As is, the technique is a bit too rough and tries to force the viewer into believing that it IS reality. I almost had to fight myself to remember that they were in the dream world. That might have been the point, but I wouldn't agree with it since I am following the story of those who know full well what's going on. A steady cam would have made it seem a bit more "off the beaten path." And by beaten path I mean the path that every film in the last 10 years tries to compete with themselves on... an unpaved, very rutted, potholed, unkept, dirt road that would make James Bond very pleased if his martini was on the seat of a vehicle that dared accept the challenge of trying to traverse!

#2. The inclusion of a scene from near the end of the film in the beginning of the film. I didn't spoiler this because it becomes fairly evident pretty quickly that it is a fragmented piece of the story. This editing decision ruined MI:3 for me, and it definitely took some awesomeness away from this film for me. Without that one scene placed at the start, I would be able to say that I have encountered THE PERFECT FILM. However, that is not the case. Now it's just "among the best ever made."

Final impression...
Inception is, to this generation, what Flatliners was to its generation. Flatliners came along during an era where the spirituality of human existence was studied from a psychological approach about how the human soul exists via the medium of death. Inception comes along in an era where the same type of study has now grown into trying to understand how the human soul exists via the medium of the differing levels of consciousness... although it doesn't quite handle the topic so directly as Flatliners did.

I'll go see it again with my roommates for certain.

P.S. And I might even decide to pay this time instead of using my free passes. This is a film that is undeniably worth my $12.50!

[vegeta88]

Petra_Kalbrain, I like a lot of what you said and I would LOVE those 2 seconds. Those two seconds would have made the film much better for me.

The shaky cam was a bit much at times, but I think it was somewhat necessary because

[Show spoiler]while it was in the dreamworld, it is supposed to feel real. Ellen Page even says something to the effect of the feeling being more important than the rest.

I also agree about the inclusion of the first scene. A couple time throughout, I just kept remembering that scene which was too bad.

[Offender_Mullet]

Good post Petra, although I heard you got charged triple at the door for your ticket because you were a Luongo jersey. jk

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

Was it the downtown theater?

Yup, I was down in front. Surprised it wasn't packed.

[Show spoiler]My friend had a problem with the end too, he thought it might be an opening for a sequel. I didn't see it that way. After awhile, I didn't expect Leo's character would get out and things felt off at the last scene in the airport. I don't think his dad would've really been there waiting for him.

[Show spoiler]As for the Shutter Island comparison, yeah, I think that's going to be mentioned far too much before long. I really liked Shutter Island, but I think Inception did a lot of the same things even better, but they're still separate movies. I'm a little surprised Leo did them back to back, but I'm grateful Inception didn't star Christian Bale.

Also, as a JGL fanboy, I was a little worried he wasn't going to be that big of a character so I was happy that his role was so substantial. Same to a lesser extent for Ellen Page. Great casting all around though. I even liked Cillian Murphy and Michael Caine managed to seem less Michael Cainey.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by Offender_Mullet

Good post Petra, although I heard you got charged triple at the door for your ticket because you were a Luongo jersey. jk

Added a P.S. to my post. Read it.

If anything, they gave me a discount for eminating pure Canucks pride from every pore without need to bear emblems!!! We'll see how your precious Blackhawks fare against us next season now that the little Buff-Lynn "plays cheap 7 year old girl hockey" is gone. Double to you!

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by Tyger

Yup, I was down in front. Surprised it wasn't packed.

[Show spoiler]My friend had a problem with the end too, he thought it might be an opening for a sequel. I didn't see it that way. After awhile, I didn't expect Leo's character would get out and things felt off at the last scene in the airport. I don't think his dad would've really been there waiting for him.

[Show spoiler]As for the Shutter Island comparison, yeah, I think that's going to be mentioned far too much before long. I really liked Shutter Island, but I think Inception did a lot of the same things even better, but they're still separate movies. I'm a little surprised Leo did them back to back, but I'm grateful Inception didn't star Christian Bale.

Also, as a JGL fanboy, I was a little worried he wasn't going to be that big of a character so I was happy that his role was so substantial. Same to a lesser extent for Ellen Page. Great casting all around though. I even liked Cillian Murphy and Michael Caine managed to seem less Michael Cainey.

Fantastic cast. I though that everybody played their parts extremely well. Ellen Page being very smart, JGL being a stickler, and Cillian Murphy was great, but I had hoped for more screen time with him.

The thing about the ending for me

[Show spoiler]was that nothing in the story dictated that he would have to end up stuck in the dream/subconscious. It was simply a choice that could have gone either way and I would have preferred a more 'Hollywood' ending. The comparison to Shutter Island is fair, I think. The core background and emotion to the character AND ending of the film are extremely similar.

I really enjoyed the movie because it was so full of awesomeness in characters, action, trippy dialog/sequences, and brilliant ideas executed very concisely.

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

[Show spoiler]The comparison to Shutter Island is fair, I think. The core background and emotion to the character AND ending of the film are extremely similar.

[Show spoiler]Oh, it's definitely fair. I just mean it's so obvious that people are going to be mentioning it left and right and since I'm sure pretty much EVERYONE is going to see this movie, that will get old. Fast. Like this damn Avatar/Dances With Wolves thing.

A Hollywood ending would've done more to separate Inception from Shutter Island, but I don't know if that would've really worked. Then we might all be here like "Yeah, it was great, but then they went for the cheap ending." Actually, the more I think about it, I'm very pro the existing ending.

[hardcorefrokid]

Just got back from the midnight show. Brilliant movie. Well worth the extra cash to see it in IMAX. Hans Zimmer better get an Oscar nod for this score.

[D-Blitz]

Guys, I have a big fat genetics exam this morning, but I know what I'm doing tonight! SO STOKED.

[mpstjohn]

Caught this at a midnight showing last night in IMAX. In comparison to Nolan's other movies, this is easily the best thing he's done so far. Though comparisons have been made to The Matrix, quite frankly its just a better movie in every way imaginable. Aside from the amazing cast, I get the sense that Nolan was only using The Dark Knight as a means to hone his skill in crafting action sequences which served him very well here (a trend in the movie plays on the idea of dream time - what takes a matter of seconds in the real world takes minutes in a dream) leading to some amazing sequences here (one in particular, shown in the trailer as Joseph Levitt Gordon fighting in mid-air stands out in my mind).

5/5 Stars.

[Offender_Mullet]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Added a P.S. to my post. Read it.

If anything, they gave me a discount for eminating pure Canucks pride from every pore without need to bear emblems!!! We'll see how your precious Blackhawks fare against us next season now that the little Buff-Lynn "plays cheap 7 year old girl hockey" is gone. Double to you!

My goal is to get as many cheap-shots in as I can before the 2010-2011 season starts because I am fearing the worst.

[Buddy Christ]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Final impression...
Inception is, to this generation, what Flatliners was to its generation. Flatliners came along during an era where the spirituality of human existence was studied from a psychological approach about how the human soul exists via the medium of death. Inception comes along in an era where the same type of study has now grown into trying to understand how the human soul exists via the medium of the differing levels of consciousness... although it doesn't quite handle the topic so directly as Flatliners did.

FATLINERS? FLATLINERS?

Petra, I always respect your opinions, heck you led me to Knight and Day! But I have to respectfully disagree. Flatliners was never considered a cinematic milestone.

This movie is!!

[Pounder]

A truly amazing and magical film!!!! 5/5

I wanted to go to IMAX screening but settle for regular because i did not want to make the drive.lol. but I will be seeing it again in IMAX this weekend. My screening was packed. how crowded were the others?

[Mike53421]

I studied marketing in school and understand how expectations work with regards to a product and I absolutely hate the overuse of the word 'epic'. This movie was epic.

My initial reactions coming out of the theatre via text (or to my buddy):

"Wow"
"Oh my God"
"Holy shit."

My jaw literally dropped for one scene:

[Show spoiler]When Joseph Gordon Levitt's character was fighting in the hotel with the van rolling. Such a beautiful sequence.

Amazing movie, absolutely loved it. I am so thankful for these experiences where the movie lives up to the hype (in my opinion).

Highly recommend. IMAX, although wasn't necessary, was still cool.

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by ThereWasBlood

I kept thinking of Dark City while watching this. Not that that's a bad thing.

I've never seen Dark City.

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

Wow! That movie was so incredible. Nolan is brilliant and once again proves how great he is at the art of filmmaking. Excellent cast, amazing visuals and a great story. My mind is totally melted and I'm still trying to figure out. Amazing movie

11/10

I concur with that. Everything was perfectly put together!