Inception

Christopher Nolan does it again, and without the need of a giant rubber bat suit. Rather we are privileged to what feels like some of his earlier work in Memento or Following but with the budget of a Batman movie. Nolan takes you through the labyrinth of his mind, and with great relief you come out the other side but with the insatiable urge to go through again.

Open on our hero Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, a thief for hire who can go into your mind while you sleep and extract information. But his next job requires something more, Cobb recruits an incredible ensemble cast to pull off what everyone believes is impossible - Inception.

And that is all I am physically able to say about the plot. Nolan once again creates an intricate world layered upon itself. In normal hands the task may seem daunting but Nolan takes great care in his projects, this particular one about eight years worth of care which shows on the screen.

With a plot so heavy it is easy to get lost in extensive explanation on the rules of this world. Luckily we have Ellen Page as Ariadne, the newbie to the team who is hired to build the dream world. She also serves as a guide to the audience as we travel through the maze of intricate plot points. I know what you must all be thinking, having Nolan name his female lead after the Greek goddess who guided Theseus through the Minotaur's maze in ancient mythology shows little initiative. But I suppose we can give him a pass.

Nolan puts together a great cast including some actors you may remember from his previous movies such as Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine, and Cillian Murphy (Nolan reportedly loves Murphy's eyes and tries to draw attention to them whenever possible). Joseph Gordon-Levitt does great work as Leo's right hand man and provides some stability to Leo's character that is starting to play unhinged so well someone may want to put him on suicide watch. Tom Hardy looked to have the most fun in the movie as the Forger of the group. He has a suave coolness about him that steals every scene. Marion Cotillard plays the fem fatale so well that I'm glad there has been a recent resurgence in the fem fatale character.

The cinematics are dazzling in the movie, the scene that pits Joseph Gordon-Levitt fighting in and around a hotel hallway lives up for the hype seen in the trailer. All the big visual cues that would typically be there just to show off the movie are important to the story. I also always appreciate Nolan a little more due to his minimal use of green screens. Especially in this era of cinematography where a man like James Cameron can create entire worlds, Nolan still prefers using sets and wires to give his films a realer look.

Still some of the visual cues Nolan uses are goofy due to the time differential in the different dream worlds. This effect leaves a van hanging in the air for what could be a legitimate hour of the movie. In the same breath that may be the only way to distinguish just how far down the rabbit hole Nolan takes us.

The movie almost demands second and third viewings. I'm sure I will be inclined to join any of my friends who wish to go again, but I fear the length of the film will get to me a second time around. The movie takes its time getting to the main sequence of the plot, not that there were wasted frames, but rather the audience may get weighed down sifting through so much set up material.

Nolan continues his trend of creating an incredibly intricate plot with a huge payoff at the end. Any actor is lucky to gain access to his world. And the audience is treated to a summer blockbuster that will achieve more than just a huge box office earning. A-