...I really can't comprehend why everyone is raving about it so much.

I was lucky to catch a screening last night, and being a massive science fiction buff I went in with huge hopes. After all, reviewers have been saying that the movie is the next Blade Runner or the next Dark City.

2 hours and 30 minutes later I came to the following conclusion(no spoilers)

The movie is good, very entertaining.

Its logic behind the movie is bulletproof... but thats its major flaw. Great science fiction movies require you to accept some things which can not be explained. These things lead to discussion and unique interpretation twists by every viewer. Inception comes off like it was written by a computer engeener. Everything has a logical explanation and is presented in such a manner that there really is no room for interpretation.

Are the reviewers and public so bankrupt on imagination that we need science fiction movies to explain everything. Are we not able to dream anymore for ourselves? ;)

In any case, go see the movie, its really good. Just not the top shelf of sci fi movies that I was hoping it to be...

On the other hand, this movie will make one hell of a videogame if it was done right. Jacking peoples dreams for ideas and having shootouts with its subconcious memory security measures is pure videogame material.

I wound up masturbating to it.  "Conception" is awesome!  Oh.......wait.

I haven't seen the movie yet but that is an interesting point of view. I read an interview with Nolan and Di Caprio where both said they weren't big fans of the sci-fi genre and so in this movie they wanted events to be very relatable and have an emotional connection as well as be very logical. For me I was excited by that not being a big fan of sci-fi myslef, but it sounds like they may be slightly alienating fans of the genre by the direction they took.

Yeah, that would give some insight on why the movie is presented in such a manner. I didn't hate it and am still glad I saw it so I don't think they will alienate many sci fi fans. We just won't talk about it in the same manner as Terminator, Space Oddisey...ect.

Its a shame really, as there is no reason why they couldn't have emotion in the movie and have somesort of catalyst for imaginationa and discussion. 

Another small issue I had was with Leonardo who is kind of repeating himself. Its the exact same role he did in Shutter Island. He keeps seeing things, questios reality, freaking out, issue with wife...etc. He really needs to do a comedy at this point to lighten up a bit.

I had read that in some reviews that it was very similar role to Shutter Island. Di Caprio is one of my favorite actors due to consistently solid performances but also the roles he chooses to take on. But I agree it would be nice to see him to something a little different now and a comedy could be a lot of fun. I don't know that he has every really done a comedy or at least not in a long time. I guess Catch Me if Yo Can was kind of a comedy in some places and I thought he was great in that.

I've been (unrealistically) hoping that since Nolan seems to like to reuse actors in project that Leo would be in the next Batman film as a villain. I think it would be fun to see him play some eccentric version of the Riddler, I'm not that familair with other Batman villains but I'm sure that there are more that would be fun to see him play. I do think that is pretty unlikely though, I think it has been since 2002 since Leo was in a movie that he wasn't the male lead in, so I'm not sure if he would take on a supporting role like that.

Anyways I'm glad you enjoyed the movie despite your minor disapointment in the sci-fi elements, and I'm looking forward to seeing it soon.

let's avoid this thread for the moment ...

Why? There are no spoilers here... :)

Isn't that just the way Nolan's movies are? I mean, The Prestige explained everything in the end, and I still loved that movie. What annoys me more in the genre is no attempt to explain the bizarre happenings in a science fiction world (I'm looking at you, Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus and The Lovely Bones).

Well yeah, the lovely bones was not a good movie on any level... no explanation for the events was the least of its problems.

Good sci fi movies absolutely need to have that "explanation" you are talking about, but it should come at the very end.

A trademark of classic science fiction movies is that it keeps a viewer in a state of confusion until the final act. The final act ties it all together and is supposed to blow your mind...  All classics do this. Space Oddisey, Terminator, Matrix, Dark City...even B scifi movies like Pandorum and Event Horizon try their best to keep the viewer in suspense until the last 15 minutes.

Inception starts off with some truly brilliant ideas, but it explains the rules of engagement in such detail that there is very little unknown or surprises waiting before the final act. The last 30 minutes become nothing more than a ticking clock...rather than events where the whole movie comes together for the viewer.

Don't get me wrong, final act is still quite thrilling to watch... But it has more in common with the bank heist of Oceans 11 rather than final act of...lets say...the Matrix.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this - it doesn't come out in Aus until the 22nd :(

In some cases the ambiguous resolutions or events resulting in a 'come up with your own interpretation' are good thought-provokers and lead to discussions long after viewing, but sometimes I just feel cheated of a definitive ending.  To this day Total Recall pisses me off...but I'll still talk about how much it pisses me off.