Inception
I’m sure everyone knows that the big blockbuster movie of this summer is Inception. I enjoy Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting and have heard great things about the movie, so I was anxious to see it. Since our nephew was visiting a little while ago, we decided it was the perfect time to go see it.
I had a lot of trouble figuring out what was going on at first, but I think I eventually figured it out. The movie is set during an unspecified time period, very much like the present. “Extractors” are able to share dreams with people to steal secrets from their subconscious. Dom Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio) is one of the best in the field, but he’s decided to get out of the business because something has happened that will prevent him from ever going home again. A Japanese businessman approaches him and guarantees him that he will make it so that he can return home if he can plant, rather than steal, an idea from his biggest competitor’s brain. Cobb takes on the job realizing that he needs to bring in an expert team and plan meticulously.
I know I’m in the minority on this one but this movie didn’t really work for me. (Carl, Vance and Adam all liked it.) The plot wasn’t all that novel and felt a bit contrived to me. I felt like there was very little acting – for me the movie relied on special effects. Some of them were impressive, but they just weren’t enough to carry the movie. I really liked Ellen Page in Juno, but didn’t feel like she was right for the part she played in this movie and I found that distracting. I got tired of the fight scenes and the chase scenes, and after a while they just made the movie drag for me. I really liked the way the movie ended, though, but it makes me wonder if a sequel is planned.
If you like action packed sci-fi movies, you’ll probably enjoy this one, but I wish I’d waited to see the DVD.
Based on the previews I had a feeling that it would be more about the effects than story/character. I’ll likely rent it on DVD when it comes out though.
My husband saw it and said I made the right choice in passing as I would have left early due to motion sickness. He liked it.
My son and I LOVED the movie. My parents fell asleep, and my daughter was confused. I guess I could have predicted those reactions! Ha! I thought it was clever as hell, and was particularly drawn to several of the characters. It was a display of special effects, you are right, but I just love movies that exercise my brain and this was one of them (I will also forever love Memento for this reason as well).
My husband wants to see this, but the reviews really are mixed. I probably would be on the did not like camp.
Doesn’t sound like it would appeal to me either but The Big Guy . . . . now that’s another story.
I love your honesty. Everyone seems to love this movie and it’s hard to say that it didn’t exactly work for you! I still want to see it.
I really want to see this one. I’m sure I will have to see it a couple of times to understand it. One of my favorite movies is Memento, one of Christopher Nolan’s first movies and I had to see it a few times before I completely understood it. That’s one of the things I like about Nolan; he’s complicated! I’m sorry this one didn’t work for you, but like Julie, I love your honesty!
I almost never go to a theater to see a movie and I knew from the first preview that I’d need to wait to see this one. It seems like one I’ll have to pause frequently to try to understand!
I must say, I loved this movie…and surprisingly, loved Leo in it.
Speaking of Ellen Page, did you see she is supposedly on the short list to play Lisbeth in the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? I think she has the look but not sure she is up to playing the major bad ass attitude needed.
I know this won’t be for me, so I plan to skip it.
Nolan rarely brings in sequels. He goes in for ambiguous endings, that are not so ambiguous once we look at all the clues planted around that ending. I’m sorry this movie didn’t work too well for you. I’d never read/watched anything on dream-stealing or dream-planting, maybe that’s why I loved it. I’m planning to go again this week, so I’m really looking forward to it!
I haven’t had the chance to see this one yet, but I did read a review in “People” Magazine and they said almost the same thing as you! Confusing for the first half, amazing special effects, very little substance beyond the special effects. Interesting!
From what I can tell, you may not be in the minority…. Still on the fence about seeing this one, but I loved reading your review.
I’ve been afraid to see this because I figure for sure I won’t get what’s going on. so glad to hear I have a basis for thinking this might happen!
I love DiCaprio in anything – anything but this I should say. I hate movies that seem to offer nothing but special effects, so I knew from the clips I saw on TV that I didn’t want to see this movie. Fortunately Dave hates that kind of movie too, so we’ll pass.
Daniel had the same reaction you did – but I loved it!
I am sorry you didn’t like the movie that much, Kathy! I loved it and thought it was great, but then again, I really love action packed movies with a lot of special effects. I am waiting for this one to come out on DVD so I can watch it again.
I saw this the other day with my mum and she had the same feelings as you. I loved it though. It’s a hit or miss kind of movie though, you either end up not liking it or loving it.
I went to see this in the theater also and was almost falling asleep in the beginning. I really enjoy DiCaprio’s acting, but this movie just didn’t cut it for me either.
We saw this last week, I think. When we left the theater, my husband said to me well, you either liked it or hated it. I actually enjoyed it, but I can see where he might have wondered. That kind of plot line is not usually my thing.
It’s too bad it didn’t work for you. While I loved the special effects I think I enjoyed trying to figure everything out more. It kept my mind engaged. I do think it’s a hit or miss for people.
We live in a small town…2 movies at a time, and they stay usually only 1 week. I’ve already missed this one. And probably won’t get the DVD when it comes out. I have to be in the mood for Sci-fi. It doesn’t call to me.
I saw it with my teenage son and we both loved it. I liked the idea of creating other worlds in our dreams. Oh, and Leo is so, so handsome.
I plan to see this on DVD, but I can’t tell from the previews whether it’s one I’ll enjoy or not. I’m a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, but not so much of Ellen Page, so they might cancel each other out.
It’s likely that I will wait til this is out on video. I just can’t convince the hub to ‘GO’ to the movies. They have to come to us!
Have you seen Whip It with Ellen Page? I thought it quite endearing and surprising.
I thought it was okay, but I still don’t really understand why everyone has made such a fuss about it. I thought it dragged for quite a lot of the middle. The beginning was confusing, but I thought it all made sense by the end, and I have a very definite idea about what the ending meant. I appear to be the only one, though, and Keith has gone all over the internet looking up various theories – IMO people are overthinking it just a little bit!
A secret about me: I can’t stand anything really that has to do with dreams. I don’t know why, but there you have it. People’s dreams bore me (thank goodness I’m not a psychologist, right?) in books and in movies….I think it bothers me because it gives the authors way too much latitude to move around and not be responsible for it, lol.
So I’m glad you gave the synopsis for this movie…I will skip it.
Not sure the movie is for me but I do love DiCaprio!
I’m definitely on the fence about seeing this one in the theaters after reading your review. It sounds like I can wait for the DVD to come out.
I did my “homework” before seeing this film and brought Mr. Jenners along in case I had questions … I knew it was a mindbender going in. I really enjoyed it … but it wasn’t as good as I had hoped. But, still, compared to all the dreck out there, it was pretty darn good!
I’m dying to watch this one but always postponed it. I hope to catch it this weekend if I can.
No huge fans of Leo Di Caprio here, though Mr. L-S does like his sci-fi and special effects. I’d prefer to pass on this one, even though I do like Ellen Page.
This is one I would need to see again. I enjoyed it the first time, but it has so many layers I know I missed a lot the first time. I should take hubby to this one over the weekend.
I’m really easy when it comes to movies– I just like to go into the theater with the big screen, and just let my brain drift along.
That’s why I rarely review movies. Sometimes I do have something to say, more often I don’t.
That’s all to say that I enjoyed this movie, but can’t refute anything you said
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I do like mind-bender sci-fi type of movies. For a while, I was a total Matrix nerd.
I know I will like this one, but I am struggling to convince my friends to come watch with me.
Sigh, will just cave in and watch on DVD, I think
Hmm… doesn’t really sound like a movie for me either.
I’ve heard great things about this movie, but I haven’t seen it yet. Hubby took me to see The Other Guys with Ferrell and Wahlberg. I couldn’t stop laughing. I think its one of the best movies I’ve seen in ages.
I enjoyed it, but I didn’t rave like my nephew and husband I went to see it with. My major complaint was that the last half really dragged along, with a lot of action but not a lot of point.
I’m actually happy to read this review. I don’t have any interest in seeing it at the theater, but will rent it when it’s out on DVD. It just doesn’t appeal to me that much yet everyone I know who has seen it thinks I’m crazy for not wanting to see it in the theater.
Not my cup of tea.
I actually really enjoyed this. I wasn’t sure because it looked cool, but I’m not a big action movie fan. It was interesting though. I liked the mental aspect of it, I guess. Probably no sequel though…I think the mystery is part of the “fun” if you will.
Thanks for the review. I was contemplating seeing this, but I think I’ll let my husband and son go for it without me
I went into the movie not expecting that much, especially because I’m not a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, but I loved Inception. My husband and I talked about going to see it again if possible (but between paying for the movie and a babysitter we decided to wait until it comes out on dvd to watch it again).
I’ve heard similar things from other viewers. But I personally loved the movie. I’m not a big Ellen Page fan but I actually enjoyed her in this part. And I thought that Leo did a fantastic job. True, there was less acting and more action, but the fact that he could still shine really worked for me. And I loved the special effect. They were amazing.
Kathy–have kept hearing about this movie and so many of my co-workers have seen it already. I keep wanting to see it but the one time I did end up getting up and going to the movies, my friends wanted to see Charlie St. Cloud instead (which was not my cup of tea.)
I also just wanted to give you a quick thanks for reading the guest blogs on Mulholland Books website and contributing to the discussion there. Please keep coming around–we need people like you to engage in the discussion surrounding these posts (some of which are even being written by well-known genre writers!)
Minnie
It was a miss for me. I had been hoping for more world-building and cool dream imagery, but felt like all I got was endless action/fight scenes, which wasn’t as interesting. And I thought there was going to be a maze!