Inception2010

74/100 Not quite as revolutionary as everyone says, and not even particularly hard to understand, especially not compared to The Prestige or Following, but a good film in itself, if not Nolan's strongest. First off, the visuals here are obviously spectacular, especially the special effects, making scenes like the inversion of Paris and the zero-gravity hotel fight that much more engaging through just how amazing they look. Nolan's cinematography also helps here, giving the film a quality I can't quite describe, but which I feel enhances it immensely. I was also surprised by how star-studded the cast was, but to the film's credit, no one here is phoning it in. I could just go on and on naming the cast who did an amazing job until I've listed every major role, from Leonardo DiCaprio as our protagonist Dom Cobb to Marion Cotillard as the shade of his wife Mal. I even enjoyed underrated roles such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur, Tom Hardy as Eames and especially Ken Watanabe as Saito. In general, the film is split into more emotional and logical halfs, and it's clear which one I prefer. The one critique I have with this movie is that it feels too exposition-heavy at times, and I'm not at all drawn in by these extended explanations of the dream world. It also just feels too mechanical and dull, especially when compared to the movie's strong emotional core. I much prefer this movie when it treats itself like a character drama, with Cobb being an immensely interesting main character through the grief and guilt he feels over Mal and his immense desire to reunite with his children. Unlike other Nolan films, I honestly felt the central hook here was the least interesting part of the movie, but it does serve as a great character study through the mix of good writing and acting, with enough fun action sprinkled in to make this a good movie overall.