A Nightmarish Rant

A lot has been said about Christopher Nolan’s “Inception.” Unfortunately, very little of it has been meaningful. When the film screened for the first wave of critics a few weeks ago, the reaction was one of instant adoration, with many critics proclaiming it a “masterpiece” upon one viewing. Many of these reviews were laced with eye-rolling hyperbole and failed to say anything meaningful about the film. After this first wave of reviews, came the second. And, instead of actually reacting to the movie, these critics instead reacted to the first wave of reviews, while not offering much valid criticism. And then the “backlash to the backlash” kicked in. By the end of this critical roller coaster, one realizes that no one has really said much about the film itself.


“Inception” was always going to be a divisive film. It hosts a complex narrative, several extended dream sequences, and various other oddities. It simply pushes too many buttons for everyone to fall over in praise. This is a good thing. How boring would a discussion be if everyone agreed? The best films often stir up arguments. The problem comes when people become so convinced of their opinion’s validity that they refuse to listen to the other side.

“How can you dislike Inception!? It’s an absolute masterpiece!”

“How dare you even compare Christopher Nolan Nolan to the great Stanley Kurbrick!”

This rhetoric gets us nowhere. While these arguments are filled with passion, very little of it is actually substantial. Please, tell me why “Inception” is an absolute masterpiece. Tell me why Chris Nolan’s vision does not match up to that of Stanley Kubrick’s.

But, of course, these are not easy questions to answer. It will take multiple viewings to completely dissect “Inception” and declare it a “masterpiece!” In fact, calling anything a “masterpiece” upon one viewing is preposterous, as most people realize that films gain “masterpiece” status over time, not on their opening weekend. But if you’re going to have the gall to call something a “masterpiece” upon first viewing (I’m guilty of this as well), try to back it up with something other than empty hyperbole. Similarly, if you’re going to slam the film, provide evidence, instead of slandering other critics.

On a final note, this rant obviously isn’t directed at every “Inception” review. I'm merely trying to make the argument for a more civil, substantive discussion amongst film fans. Unfortunately, many of the strong, substantive reviews of "Inception" have been overshadowed by the petty, thoughtless catfights of a few ego maniacs.

PS. My review of the film will be up soon.

Short version: I liked it.