Inception evokes the rare feeling of solving a maths problem by slowing employing the given formulae, arriving at the exact intended result without any deviation from application. Nurturing a seemingly simple idea of ‘sharing a dream-space,’ Nolan lowers a virtual ladder into the landscape of human imaginative thinking, a place where man is both strong and most vulnerable at the same time. It is to exploit this vulnerability that Dom Cobb (Leo Di Caprio) sets off his mission of implanting a dream into someone else’s mind. This implantation, rather that creation, of a dream forms the basic premise of the movie.
Nolan sets out to create a well tailored movie, packed with a strong screenplay and story the movie follows a strict narration that’s holds water and the audience’s attention. It requires the viewers to approach the movie with all the attention, not to miss any dialogue lest they jeopardize not understanding the plot later. To satisfy the visual craving Nolan makes seemingly simple visual imagery into breath taking ones. The scenes of ‘realization’ of the dream the surroundings suddenly start to crumble, fall, fold, or burst are taken in his favorite slow-motion are sympathetic towards the audience who would want to savor the scene as long as it lasts. Perhaps the inadequacy is here where Nolan does not take a “leap of faith” and does not devour the idea but limits himself to savoring. It is like the contentment one gets from watching a genius at work and knowing full well that your role is strictly that of a participant.
Comparison to Dark Knight is inevitable. Nolan indulges the audience in DK where he gives us the benefit of the doubt in characters like that of Joker and in situations like the last scene that call for human judgment.
Inception succeeds because of its intelligent screenplay, the higher level of exploration, strength of screenplay, visual architecture. It fails to overwhelm because of its rule-bound plot, straight forward narration and matter-of-fact approach.
