Hollywood Bites Reviews "Inception"

As Inception arrives in theaters this Friday, little is publically known about the film other than what writer-director Christopher Nolan told the LA Times in January; that the enigmatic thriller revolves around “corporate espionage by way of dream invasion.” Think of it as The Matrix meets James Bond with a side of Freud, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy (in a star-making turn) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Got it? Good. Because that’s as much of a spoiler as your gonna get.

If you’re hungry for a spoiler, you’ve come to the wrong place because elaborating on Inception’s plot will do nothing to enhance the rapturous experience of settling into a darkened movie theater to witness one of the best films of the year courtesy of perhaps the greatest director working in Hollywood today. This is a movie best viewed with a blank slate and an open mind; just sit back, relax and let it blow you away. And then dash back into the theater for a second showing.

Since Momento, there’s been no question of Nolan’s ability to create labyrinthine plots that are both mind-bending and heartbreaking. But Inception ups the ante to a blockbuster scale which surpasses the director’s dark Batman dreamscapes by leaps and bounds. Visually stunning, wonderfully acted and richly layered, it’s a film that deserves immeasurable praise (it will surely be heaped with accolades come award season) and multiple viewings. During the summer movie season, when audiences are too often told to switch their brain to auto-pilot, Nolan delivers a thoughtful, compelling, vividly woven film that may prove to be his opus.

The only thing you need to know about Inception is this: It’s brilliant!