Inception

This is a stylish psychological thriller, perhaps hoping to ride on the back of the success of Leonardo DiCaprio in "Shutter Island" and to develop the themes by borrowing from the dreamscape alternative world developed in "The Matrix".

It is a good, solid and enjoyable watch, but ultimately fails in its objectives. Firstly it is just too bloody long by half. The characters do not engage you sufficiently to merit the time devoted, and the plot is not high minded enough. Too much time is spent with action scenes simply for the sake of action scenes, and here it becomes too much like "Quantum of Solace". Because it goes on so long it just becomes boring, which is a shame.

The real attraction of the film is that the story is about a dream within a dream within a dream, a basic thriller type plot set in the present day, with a story of forlorn love thrown in for good measure. It is good stuff, but a bit overheated I think.

Many people will struggle to understand what it is about. I coped, but only because I had seen the basic premise done before - and a lot more stylishly, intelligibly and succinctly on Star Trek The Next Generation.

It is a good film, but I advise you to see it only if you have an ample sufficiency of time on your hands - and a head for highly complex and esoteric themes that really belong in sci-fi fantasies only.