Maggi Noodle Review: Inception

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master...

-- If (by Rudyard Kipling)

Of late, movies that make the audience think are becoming the exception. The joy of such movies is that you don't quite know what is going to happen next, and at the same time, you are trying to figure out what the characters should be doing. Inception is one such movie. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the movie could fit into the science fiction genre but firmly has its roots in heist movies.

All the elements of a heist movie are in it - an initial plan that provides a basis for showing us what the main characters do, the break-up of the gang leading to a recruitment process in exotic locales (Mombassa, Paris, etc.) where the rest of the new (improved) gang is assembled, the "target" is explained, all the "rules" that must be followed are demonstrated, followed the sting, the job, the heist.


Yet, the movie is much more than just that. There are many layers to the story (literally and figuratively) and multiple storylines converge and diverge at various times. Yet, you never get the sense that you don't know which layer you are on. That is a testament to the care the director takes in crafting the story. The special effects are not overwhelming and the chase sequences are not done to death.

The heart and soul of the movie is based on the moral compass of the main character, Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Leonardo delivers a command performance, carrying the movie on his shoulders and immersing everyone into the ride. The job depends upon everyone trusting him and they do. Yet at the same time the conflict and source of concern in the movie comes from Cobb's emotional baggage. In the absence of a villain (yes, this is probably a cinematic first - an action movie without a villain) it is Leo's ability to convey his emotions with subtle changes in expression that holds us enthralled. It is a tour de force performance by an actor who continues to impress me with his ability to shy away from the chocolate boy movies but still retain that impishness about himself. He emotes with his eyes and that is a hard skill to teach.

A few minutes into the movie, I stopped seeing the actors and saw just the characters. That spell was held right through till the end. Populating the movie with splendid actors and letting them have a lot of exposure elevates the movie to another level.

See Inception, think about the story, and discuss all the details and ideas. Here's a movie that will look good on your shelf for a long time.