[kevin]

I admired Inception and it's intentions, however it's not a film I'm ever going to 'love'. As mind-twisters go it's ok but not really as grandly original as I was lead to believe going in. Unfortunately I think Nolan has been so busy working on the mind-twister side of the story that he's been sitting on that he forgot to craft characters that I (and others going by some of the reviews I've read) could actually care about.

Which is not to say I didn't like it - it gets the brain gears moving, it invites discussion and it will for years to come. That's hardly ever a bad thing. And I'll go and see it again soon to see what happens on reviewing it with knowledge of the whole thing.

The upshot being that (no spoilers - but much of the discussion subsequent to people viewing the film is around the meaning (or meanings) of the whole film implied by the final scene) when I don't have a good reason to actually care which of the main options it might be the film has failed.

Now, I know already that I'm going to be in the minority on this movie because I shall be in the side of appreciating it technically but not thinking it's actually quite as good as the majority will claim it is - or rather, are already claiming it is on the wider web amongst reviewers both professional and armchair.

The Matrix comparison is probably not entirely unfounded - but then again, I think The Matrix movies suck and have done since 1999 so.........

[martok2112]

Originally Posted by kevin

I admired Inception and it's intentions, however it's not a film I'm ever going to 'love'. As mind-twisters go it's ok but not really as grandly original as I was lead to believe going in. Unfortunately I think Nolan has been so busy working on the mind-twister side of the story that he's been sitting on that he forgot to craft characters that I (and others going by some of the reviews I've read) could actually care about.

Which is not to say I didn't like it - it gets the brain gears moving, it invites discussion and it will for years to come. That's hardly ever a bad thing. And I'll go and see it again soon to see what happens on reviewing it with knowledge of the whole thing.

The upshot being that (no spoilers - but much of the discussion subsequent to people viewing the film is around the meaning (or meanings) of the whole film implied by the final scene) when I don't have a good reason to actually care which of the main options it might be the film has failed.

Now, I know already that I'm going to be in the minority on this movie because I shall be in the side of appreciating it technically but not thinking it's actually quite as good as the majority will claim it is - or rather, are already claiming it is on the wider web amongst reviewers both professional and armchair.

The Matrix comparison is probably not entirely unfounded - but then again, I think The Matrix movies suck and have done since 1999 so.........

Although I've not seen the film yet, I get the sense that the lack of originality stems from the notion that there was another movie (years ago) that sort of dealt with this thing.....a movie starring Dennis Quaid, Max Von Sydow, Kate Capshaw and David Patrick Kelley called "DreamScape". It was a pretty cool flick for its time.

[kevin]

I've heard of that film but I don't think I've ever seen it.

No big spoilers but just in case anyone who hasn't seen it yet doesn't want to know some of the other possible influences I felt were present

In some respects certain elements - without trying to give too much away as it's more than worth the cinema ticket - also reminded me of Nolan's own Memento, The Prestige and also Total Recall, The Shining, Blade Runner, Vanilla Sky/Abres Los Ojos, Shutter Island, The Innocents, a bit of Jacob's Ladder and basically any film (or TV show ep....say some Twilight Zone/The Outer Limits - in fact one component also reminded me of one of the 1990s The Outer Limits episodes starring Frasier's David Hyde Pierce about a prison in the mind) that is largely playing with perceptions of reality and the mind.

It's from that perspective that I don't find it wildly original - but then such ideas have never been bolted onto an action filled heist movie so that is a slightly different variation on the theme. Which helps to add some blockbuster-y goodness to the film.

I believe Nolan himself has also stated pre-release that he was influenced by The Matrix, The Thirteenth Floor and James Bond also.

I imagine Bond enters the equation in the action side and that would certainly seem the case with one of the action sequences of the finale.

[Quark]

Originally Posted by kevin

I admired Inception and it's intentions, however it's not a film I'm ever going to 'love'. As mind-twisters go it's ok but not really as grandly original as I was lead to believe going in. Unfortunately I think Nolan has been so busy working on the mind-twister side of the story that he's been sitting on that he forgot to craft characters that I (and others going by some of the reviews I've read) could actually care about.

Which is not to say I didn't like it - it gets the brain gears moving, it invites discussion and it will for years to come. That's hardly ever a bad thing. And I'll go and see it again soon to see what happens on reviewing it with knowledge of the whole thing.

The upshot being that (no spoilers - but much of the discussion subsequent to people viewing the film is around the meaning (or meanings) of the whole film implied by the final scene) when I don't have a good reason to actually care which of the main options it might be the film has failed.

Now, I know already that I'm going to be in the minority on this movie because I shall be in the side of appreciating it technically but not thinking it's actually quite as good as the majority will claim it is - or rather, are already claiming it is on the wider web amongst reviewers both professional and armchair.

The Matrix comparison is probably not entirely unfounded - but then again, I think The Matrix movies suck and have done since 1999 so.........

Well, I agree with you on the lack of character development but I've got to say I totally disagree on you about the Matrix. That is one of my favorite film series and I believe a great deal was taken from that film, along with Nolan's previous movie Memento. There is a little bit of everything in this film. I will have to see it again in order to fully understand it, but I will certainty see it again when time permits.

[kevin]

Don't worry - I'm well aware I'm in the minority on The Matrix movies but I'm quite happy with that.

[Quark]

It's always good to voice your opinions nonetheless.

[kevin]

Well, why not I say! Having a different opinion about a movie hurts no-one in the long run anyway.

[Saquist]

Originally Posted by kevin

I admired Inception and it's intentions, however it's not a film I'm ever going to 'love'. As mind-twisters go it's ok but not really as grandly original as I was lead to believe going in. Unfortunately I think Nolan has been so busy working on the mind-twister side of the story that he's been sitting on that he forgot to craft characters that I (and others going by some of the reviews I've read) could actually care about.

Brace yourself....I agree.
I admire the Inception concept and intentions. I don't think it was intending to to work a mind twisting story style. In fact I know that wasn't his intention the editing is too perfect. He doesn't resort to the standard rapid sucession scene cuts like in the crux of Prestige or like the Movie Minority report. He's not trying to confuse you...he's creating a multilayered drama that works in sync.

That being said I wasn't impressed. It was good...but not impressive. Is it me or have wee seeen this in Star Trek done better? TNG Frame of Mind. But in that episode they were trying to create a mystery, Inception isn't a mystery.

Which is not to say I didn't like it - it gets the brain gears moving, it invites discussion and it will for years to come. That's hardly ever a bad thing. And I'll go and see it again soon to see what happens on reviewing it with knowledge of the whole thing.

I also agree.

Now, I know already that I'm going to be in the minority on this movie because I shall be in the side of appreciating it technically but not thinking it's actually quite as good as the majority will claim it is - or rather, are already claiming it is on the wider web amongst reviewers both professional and armchair.

I had the same reaction almost exactly.

The Matrix comparison is probably not entirely unfounded - but then again, I think The Matrix movies suck and have done since 1999 so.........

It's not entirely unfounded but the Matix clearly did it far better. The Matrix intro was gradual, weird and mysterious. There was a creative depiction between the green Matrix and the Blue real World. Frankly Matrix was technically the perfect movie with one small glaring flaw...That people die when dying in the Matrix. But the Brothers needed a sense of peril in the movie and it was the only way to do it.

Inception counters that wonderfully but the movie wasn't SURREAL like a dream....even though the Matrix was merely a program reality. In Inception one couldn't truly control the dream in the SURREAL way that you could in Matrix. The movie was grounded in reality and the problem is that dreams are frequently SURREAL and most people report abstract dreaming sostrange things happening shouldn't attract the attention of the subconcious (I'm just picking but it didn't seem right to me..

The movie was very straight forward.
It shouldn't confuse you if you're paying attention at all.

What I love about the movie WHAT THAT SHINZON CAN ACTUALLY ACT!!!!!! (Which is quite the revelation for me.)

[martok2112]

Originally Posted by kevin

Well, why not I say! Having a different opinion about a movie hurts no-one in the long run anyway.

(sniffles) How.....how can you be so......so insensitive!!???!!

WAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(runs out of the room)

[kevin]

Originally Posted by martok2112

(sniffles) How.....how can you be so......so insensitive!!???!!

WAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(runs out of the room)

(follows to the door and opens to reveal the figure on the distant horizon beyond)........

'Martok..................come back!! Come Back!!!