Inception (3 1/2 out of 5)

Who knew Leonardo Di Caprio's career could change so rapidly. Gone are the days of mushy films like Titanic, and in are the box-office action hits such as Inception.

While I hate Gangs of New York (a total mess of a film no matter what anybody else says) and the Aviator; Departed and Shutter Island have entrenched Caprio in the edgy action, semi-thriller genre.

Boy has he got the part down, playing a slightly troubled protagonist. His characteristic look where he squints and peers out of the corner of his eyes while leaving his mouth half-open is used again throughout the film, and his whole sub-plot, and troubled past is a real. While it does give structure to the film that Nolan could not do without, the less we hear about his dead wife the better.

Don't get me wrong, it is an excellent film, if not twenty minutes too long. The basic premise is pulled off beautifully, and I love the concept of a dream within a dream having several distinct levels.

The plot involves Di Caprio's character, Cobb, contracted to plant an idea in someone (Cilian Murphy's) head without him knowing it. He puts together a team who have to prepare and pull this off, by overcoming obstacles on their way deeper and deeper into Murphy's mind (Murphy worked with Nolan on Batman Begins, playing the Scarecrow).

However there are some hitches to the film.

Ellen Page is basically in the film to look pretty, look puzzled and ask what the hell is going on every five minutes, acting as your basic fish out of water character, which probably seemed like a good idea, but Page, star of Juno, looks awfully out of place. Maybe that was the point I'm not sure.

In a later scene where Eames, played by Tom Hardy has to repel a load of death commandos, you get bored after about a minute, as the Commando/Rambo style action, and killing of endless swat-team members rolls on for twenty minutes.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt pulls off his role as Cobb's deputy pretty well, although he looks far too much like Christian Bale in Equilibrium, suited with his hair slicked back.

Michael Caine has a ridiculous cameo, but the ending leaves you satisfied enough, and although it is worth a watch, the critical reception the film has received borders on the ludicrous.