When I first saw Inception it really struck a chord with me. It really had that perfect mix of action and dialogue among other elements. It also had that component that really made you step back and think about the way we perceive the world. I saw it again at a friends house recently and it really made me think about how underrated it is. When people talk about the best movies so far this decade you really don't see Inception as part of the picture. It really is an interesting and thought-provoking film, and I do think it is underrated. Many films being released today copy it's use of certain sound effects. What do you think? How does it compare to other recent films?
Is Inception underrated?
- Thread starter dahwws
- Start date
rotten tomatoes has an average critical rating of 8/10. Sounds about right to me. I think it's a fun and engaging movie. Smarter than your average action film, and some great action scenes (the hallway scene is a ton of fun). I don't think it's a great movie though, and not my favorite by Nolan (I loved the Prestige, though at the time I thought it was upstaged by The Illusionist).
I should also qualify my opinion by saying I'm predisposed to liking films about dreams
I should also qualify my opinion by saying I'm predisposed to liking films about dreams
I thought it was good as well. It's an intelligent action science fiction flick with great dialogue, an outstanding score, and beautiful cinematography. I think elements of the soundtrack (BWAAAAAAH) have been overdone, and the film has been influential in it's soundtrack and overall style. It's a memorable film, and it'll be remembered, but I wouldn't call it underrated. There was a lot of hype about it when it came out, and that's still present even now. Nolan has an intense and passionate following, and I think it's safe to assume that he'll continue putting out plenty of memorable and influential films and continue to grow a strong following.
Illusionist? Not terrible... I didn't think it could stand up to the Prestige, but... it didn't suck.
Illusionist? Not terrible... I didn't think it could stand up to the Prestige, but... it didn't suck.
Since we're weighing in on Nolan, I'd say aside from his Batman stuff, Memento and Insomnia are his best. If we count his Batman stuff, The Dark Knight is by far the best (for me, of course).
Inception ranks in there somewhere. I'd say it's better than The Dark Knight Rises and Batman Begins. Better than The Prestige and Following. I like the writing and the very creative usage of dreams (regardless of what's been said about those Scrooge McDuck comics). I really like the film and I have watched it several times.
What makes Nolan's films so entertaining for me is that I always LOVE his casts. His regulars like Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard just have real screen presence that I like. I hope he works some more with Leo, as I think he's used him more effectively than Scorsese has of late (not counting The Departed).
Inception ranks in there somewhere. I'd say it's better than The Dark Knight Rises and Batman Begins. Better than The Prestige and Following. I like the writing and the very creative usage of dreams (regardless of what's been said about those Scrooge McDuck comics). I really like the film and I have watched it several times.
What makes Nolan's films so entertaining for me is that I always LOVE his casts. His regulars like Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard just have real screen presence that I like. I hope he works some more with Leo, as I think he's used him more effectively than Scorsese has of late (not counting The Departed).
The prestige treated magicians and their craft with respect.
The illusionist was hokey and phony
The Prestige sucked. Well, except for David Bowie and the Tesla parts. Now that was cool. Make the movie about that, and ya got me. And except for Hugh Jackman.
The Illusionist is far better.
Okay, the truth is that when I re-watched them both not so long ago, I warmed up to The Prestige a little more, and was a little less enamored with The Illusionist. But the latter is still better than the former. A more satisfying story.
Like Josh said, though I don't mean to put words in his mouth, The Prestige is more convoluted...and discomfiting, let's say. Right, it's about flash and being edgy. But where's our hero? It's Jackman, the only likeable character.
That's not an enjoyable arc. Blah. Me no like.
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Dahwws, first off, I'm glad that you've found a movie that you love and can champion. I wouldn't want to knock that. But I respectfully disagree. I too think it's overrated. Also, I think the fact is that it's gotten a lot of love ---along with Nolan. Nolan-love is alive and strong...right here on I.T.
I'm really not a Nolan fanboy. Which is not to say I don't like him or his films, either. Of the ones I've seen, I think Dark Knight is easily his best, the others being rather so-so for me. I think Inception is pretty good. I don't know much about it being so influential. And am I the only one who can't help but think it owes something to The Matrix? Maybe even quite a bit?
On the other hand, despite not being overly fond of his films, I'm still very hopeful about and looking forward to Interstellar. I hope it's really cool.
And that pr--k, Alfred, wins in the end. The good guy loses...not that he doesn't go too far. I don't like endings like that. Now maybe if Jackman had killed Caine in the end, that might have been more satisfying for me.
The Illusionist is far better.
Okay, the truth is that when I re-watched them both not so long ago, I warmed up to The Prestige a little more, and was a little less enamored with The Illusionist. But the latter is still better than the former. A more satisfying story.
Like Josh said, though I don't mean to put words in his mouth, The Prestige is more convoluted...and discomfiting, let's say. Right, it's about flash and being edgy. But where's our hero? It's Jackman, the only likeable character.
But then we're expected to reverse that and accept him as the bad guy in the end?
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Dahwws, first off, I'm glad that you've found a movie that you love and can champion. I wouldn't want to knock that. But I respectfully disagree. I too think it's overrated. Also, I think the fact is that it's gotten a lot of love ---along with Nolan. Nolan-love is alive and strong...right here on I.T.
I'm really not a Nolan fanboy. Which is not to say I don't like him or his films, either. Of the ones I've seen, I think Dark Knight is easily his best, the others being rather so-so for me. I think Inception is pretty good. I don't know much about it being so influential. And am I the only one who can't help but think it owes something to The Matrix? Maybe even quite a bit?
On the other hand, despite not being overly fond of his films, I'm still very hopeful about and looking forward to Interstellar. I hope it's really cool.
Inception is underrated? In my experience, it's one of peoples most cited "favourite films" - perhaps the most.
Personally I really dislike it. But that's because I think it's a fine (even good) action film (I also don't like action) that people hype the shit out of. I don't think it's particularly clever, and I think it's intentionally confusing plot is pretty cringe worthy. It's not a bad film, but for my tastes, and having been worn down by not being able to escape discussion about (seriously, so many people won't shut up about Nolan here - this also goes for Wes Anderston, Tarintino - all your *big* auteurs) makes me dislike it a lot more.
Personally I really dislike it. But that's because I think it's a fine (even good) action film (I also don't like action) that people hype the shit out of. I don't think it's particularly clever, and I think it's intentionally confusing plot is pretty cringe worthy. It's not a bad film, but for my tastes, and having been worn down by not being able to escape discussion about (seriously, so many people won't shut up about Nolan here - this also goes for Wes Anderston, Tarintino - all your *big* auteurs) makes me dislike it a lot more.
Eh, I can see how you feel. I do like Nolan and Anderson (not a huge fan of Tarantino) a lot, but sometimes I don't want to be associated with the major fandom of those directors.
This^^
Although I think that's just part of auteurist thinking (even if many don't fully understand the theory, hell, I'd argue no one does lol, many view filmmaking through an auteurist lens). There have always been fanboys in all genres, there were fanboys of Kurosawa, Bergman, Spielberg, Hitchcock, and even action directors like John Woo. The only thing that bothers me about today's fanboys is that I really don't see the greatness of the auteurs (and that these fanboys have a stronger voice thanks to the internet, and they won't shut up about their filmmaking heroes!). I haven't seen any Wes Anderson films yet (I hope to soon) but when I saw Nolan and Tarantino films I just thought "really? These are our generation's auteurs?" At their best they are good but they never reach greatness in my opinion.
As for Inception, I saw it when it came out and I was 14 and in my pre-cinephile days. Back then I liked this movie a lot but even I found it to be overrated once I saw how much this film was discussed in popular film forums and websites. It was one of the first films to make me actually think about the way the narrative was constructed, but since then I've seen much superior films in this aspect. But I'd still say it is an intelligently crafted contemporary mainstream film. I'll have to see it again, but I think my opinion runs along the line of a good but not really great (which would make it a 6-8 out of 10 for me).
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Nope, not underrated at all. Everyone acknowledges the technical achievements of the film, but the bottom line is that it is just another Heist movie with a fancy "high-concept" wrapper.
It's basically the exact same movie as the Ocean's films:
Meet the Main Character.
Meet the Main Character's Closest Crew mate.
Here's the job.
Montage of gathering the rest of the crew.
Montage of prep for the heist.
Execute the heist.
They basically took what could have been a fascinating concept and distilled it into nothing but window dressing for a canonical heist movie.
Meh.
And normally I love Nolan. Inception wasn't a bad film necessarily and it's definitely full of masterful craft, but in the end everything that could have been truly original about it went out the window when the script was written.
It's basically the exact same movie as the Ocean's films:
Meet the Main Character.
Meet the Main Character's Closest Crew mate.
Here's the job.
Montage of gathering the rest of the crew.
Montage of prep for the heist.
Execute the heist.
They basically took what could have been a fascinating concept and distilled it into nothing but window dressing for a canonical heist movie.
Meh.
And normally I love Nolan. Inception wasn't a bad film necessarily and it's definitely full of masterful craft, but in the end everything that could have been truly original about it went out the window when the script was written.
Is there anything truly original anymore? As far as I can tell we - mankind - have been telling and retelling the same stories as far back as we have written records.
There are few original stories. Originality lies in the execution of the story.
To the original question - no, I don't think it's underrated; in general the film is fairly highly regarded as cinema. Underrated would seem to imply that it's somehow been overlooked or dismissed by most, and I can't see an argument for that considering it was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
And personally, I'd say one of the defining marks of good cinema is that it provokes a strong reaction in the audience, both positive and negative, which Inception clearly does just based on this discussion thread.
I find the discussion of what other people think of Nolan or Inception a little strange though - does what other people think really have much bearing on your own judgement of the film?
I especially find the use of the term "fanboy" completely out of place in a discussion like this. It's nothing but an ad hominem way of dismissing or marginalizing opinions you disagree with, or attempting to make your own opinion seem more 'objective' and therefore more valid. If you find someone's enthusiasm for a director or film annoying then just don't engage with them. If you do choose to engage with them then let your argument stand against theirs on it's own merits, and not based on your opinion of whether their enthusiasm is appropriate.
And personally, I'd say one of the defining marks of good cinema is that it provokes a strong reaction in the audience, both positive and negative, which Inception clearly does just based on this discussion thread.
I find the discussion of what other people think of Nolan or Inception a little strange though - does what other people think really have much bearing on your own judgement of the film?
I especially find the use of the term "fanboy" completely out of place in a discussion like this. It's nothing but an ad hominem way of dismissing or marginalizing opinions you disagree with, or attempting to make your own opinion seem more 'objective' and therefore more valid. If you find someone's enthusiasm for a director or film annoying then just don't engage with them. If you do choose to engage with them then let your argument stand against theirs on it's own merits, and not based on your opinion of whether their enthusiasm is appropriate.
True, in fact I would argue that originality may be overrated in some ways. I don't care if something is original if it is crap, and I love any well-made film even if it is not original. The problem is that we should draw a line between a film that is too derivative or has no merits of its own, and when a film successfully reinterprets different elements from other stories/films/artworks/etc. to make something that is strong on its own. To me it's what makes the difference between Tarantino and Scorsese, two obvious cinephile directors, the former makes movies that take too much from movies (sometimes to great success, other times not so much IMO) and the latter uses pieces from countless films to make something new. I can only think of a few directors that created an almost 100% original style (and one of those happens to be my favorite filmmaker) but I don't love the films just for originality, I love them because they speak to me and move me and deliver a unique cinematic quality that makes me lose myself in the filmmakers' vision.
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