11.27.2010

Unception.

In all sincerity, can anyone tell me what Inception was about? ...and didn't I just watch this movie back when it was a much better film called Shutter Island? Can a movie be both flawless and utterly vapid? I need some varied interpretations of what Nolan was trying to do/say here....because mine are sorely lacking.


You were right Kris.

Sporgey.

7 comments:

Dropkick said...

i find it hard to answer your question because i can't seem to figure out for the life of me what can be confusing about the film, i've heard many others and i have read reviews where people just didn't understand the film.

In essence it's a tight, well paced heist film, only catch is the heist takes place in the mind. The central thread of the film being that you can con people into anything if you make them believe it. This idea covers the film in a sense of heightened paranoia leaving the viewer questioning what is real or not. Personally, i let go of that burning question halfway through the film and let myself fall down the many levels of the subconscious with the characters.

You must admit Sporgey, that the in the final sequence the editing is masterful. How Nolan could conceive and shoot the complicated idea of four realities occurring at the same time at different speeds, and cut it together to actually make one understand it and on top of that, make it incredibly suspenseful is a meta-feat of human ability.

Last night i went down to the Underground Cinema and caught the last half of the film and was blown away all over again. It's almost too perfect.

the ending of the film miffs a lot of people and i personally believe that Leo is in fact dreaming. There's a scene where he tries a heavy sedative and once he wakes up he is always interrupted when he tries to spin his top. My theory, he is pure comatose.

Oh, and here's some cool trivia, the music of Inception (that trademark loud horn/string rise and fall sound) is actually the song Joseph Gordon Levitt plays for Tom Hardy to que the countdown for the kick back to reality, played really really slowly. Now that's pretty amazing, considering the idea of time slowing down the further down the subconscious you go.

La Sporgenza said...

Yup, I got all that. I didn't find it confusing in the least. It was technically flawless (except that Nolan still can't shoot car chases, minor quibble). The pacing was excellent and didn't drag... tough for a 150 minute movie. Nope... I'm with you on all the hows, wows, puzzles and integrated levels of storytelling. I liked its narrative complexity. It's an easy film to admire and I did.

What I didn't get was "why" you would make the film. There's no doubt that as pure entertainment, it's a home run, and perhaps it should be left at that. As a film, it's a Robert Bateman. Precise, elegant, accurate and virtually empty.

Britarded said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Britarded said...

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/687045/leonardo_dicaprio_found_inception_confusing_too.html

the coelacanth said...

not trying to be a dick (for once), but i really don't get the confusion thing. it's a fairly straightforward film, hollywood fare gussied up in auteur clothing. don't get me wrong, totally enjoyable and entertaining, just not as "deep" or complex as many are (were) making it out to be.

Dropkick said...

it has as much depth as any other heist film, which is to say not a lot.

Maybe it's just me but i didn't go into Inception looking for a picture with depth. I was looking to be entertained.

the coelacanth said...

completely with you here. i'm just saying that i was thrown for a bit of a loop because of all the reviews i read beforehand in which the reviewer referred to the film as mad complex or confusing. it's not, really. entertaining as hell and expertly crafted? hell yes! "deep" or complex or confusing? maybe to some "minds"...