Professor Nolan Belk
English 111
11 March 2013
A Dream Within a Dream Within a Dream Within a Dream Within a Dream
It is an undeniable fact that Christopher Nolan is one of most talented directors of our day and age, but he now has blown the minds of movie watchers like never before. In Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a performance that rivals any of his other works by truly gripping us with the troubles and genius of his character. DiCaprio dons the role of an “extractor,” a thief for hire who steals information from the subconscious of subject’s dreams. Inception takes the watcher on a ride through excellent cinematography and consistent storytelling. The movie also features breathtaking special effects, gripping characters, and a special wow factor, as in all cinema greats, that is left with the watcher.
Nolan does a superb job exposing the viewer to cinematography through scenarios that take the viewer by surprise. The movie, for the most part, takes place in dreams. The main character, Dominic Cobb played by DiCaprio, at one point explains this concept of how dreams drop the viewer right in the middle of things. The movie does an excellent job of remaining consistent with this aspect of starting in the middle of things. In epic poetry, this is called “in medias res,” or, “in the middle of things.” Inception does this many times by starting right in the middle of a new place and time. In one instance, the characters go from escaping assailants in a crowded city to being separated in a lavish hotel. This instance is one of many as to how the film stays consistent with its storytelling. While the storyline is complicated, Nolan brings the willing viewer through each stage of a character’s story.
Nolan does a great job of consistently keeping track of all the “rules” placed upon the extractor’s line of work. One easily forgets all of the restrictions placed upon the characters while watching the film. The characters embark into the
Cited: Ebert, Roger. "Inception. Rogerebert.com. Reviews." RSS. Sun Times, July-Aug. 2010. Web. 25 Feb. 2013. Inception. Dir. Christopher Nolan. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page. Warner Bros., 2010. DVD. "Inception." IMDb. IMDb.com, Web. 25 Feb. 2013.