Funny thing I realized today thanks to a friend - It's been exactly 5 years since this film BRRRRRRRRRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMd all the way into our hearts (or should I say our minds? dohohohoho)....or not, depending on who watched it.
Now this was strangely of importance to me because I remember the year this came out, my teenage self was goddamn crazy about this film since I saw it in the theater. Seriously, if you hung around me that year, I would not shut up about this film. In fact, I've ended up watching about 4 times more that year when it got released on home video, then a couple of more times after albeit with lesser fanboyish eyes.
So as soon as I realized that it was the 5th anniversary of the release, I figured 'what the hell' and loaded it up ASAP. This time though, through my 20-something eyes with arguably more sophisticated tastes (lol not really, I wish).
Anyways, I just finished my re-watch, and well...
+Though I'm not viewing this film with the same rose tinted glasses, I still think it stands as one of the more creative and refreshing sci-fi summer blockbuster films of the past 5 years. Note that I said blockbuster, because obviously serious-beezkneez dream movies have been done before such as The Cell or Paprika (the latter will be something I'll get back to in a bit). This is because it didn't feel like it was relying on a trend, whether basing it off a franchise or following a particular blockbuster trend (e.g. giant robots, superheroes etc.). It was a genuinely new and intriguing universe that also took the time to build itself up from scratch. It was just such cool new idea based on a premise that's not too often used for sci-fi action for that matter.
+ Lots of creative uses with special effects, both CGI and conventional. The rotating hallway, the city of Paris reconfiguring itself, the hospital collapse, those actually built Penn Rose steps illusions are always great to witness. Limbo's layout and design in particular is the most fascinating one for me. In fact, I'd say a lot of the production design in this film is really well done in general.
+ I am likely in the minority for this one but this still remains as one of my favorite Hans Zimmer scores. Not only does it have this really classy but modernized noir feel, but it also gets really haunting and terrifying when it needs to be. This is especially with ultra-slow down of that Edith Piaf song he did for the film - I remember when that started playing during the opening logos in theatre, the hairs on my back stood up immediately.
Also, Time is such a great track.
= All of the cast acted really well and serviceably. No one was terrible, but no one did anything spectacular either. Though only nitpick I can think of is Cotillard's accent somewhat getting in the way of her more emotional lines. Also, Tom Hardy is still a walking swag machine in this movie.
+/- For a movie about dreams, erm....I realized that it's kind of a waste that a lot of it devolved back into gunfights and explosions. Oh don't get me wrong, they're done under really creative and exciting circumstances at times too (e.g. the rotating hallway), but the thing is, I really think it should've gone into a bit more 'crazy' territory.
This where I get back to Paprika - that film had some excellent surreal scenes,visuals and designs thanks to it's premise and almost none of it involved a bullet. Not to mention, a lot more colorful and energetic too. This is why I also think the strongest scenes in this were the dreams in France or Limbo, because there's just so much playfulness and creativity going on with the locations and what the dreamers did with them. It just makes you want to see more of the creation, rather than the action.
-/+ Cinematography is not as great as I remember it to be. I mean, it's generally really good half the time (e.g. scenery shots) , but goddamn everything turns messy once action scenes start. Picture wise, they get so enclosed and "panicky". It wasn't really an issue during the hallway scene though but man, I feel like I could have loved it even more if there were better shot choices. I think this is probably one of the reasons Nolan decided to replace Wally Pfister as his cinematographer for Hoytema.
- Everyone talks exposition too much. I mean, I said earlier that I loved all the world building done into this movie because all the info was fascinating. That said though, doesn't change the fact that most of the time dialogue sounded inorganic and like a video game tutorial at some points as they explained "the rules". Not to mention Cobb, Saito, and Mal in particular kept regurgitating their philosophical catch phrases a bit too often. Problem is, I can't see being more subtle with the exposition being any better either.
So overall, whereas I'd used to rate this film something ridiculous like 9.5, I think I'll settle for a more appropriate 8.0-8.5. It's got a chunk of hiccups needed working, as well as wasted potential, but I still consider to be one of the most exceptional modern sci-fi blockbusters in recent years. I still strongly recommend it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.
Now, I'm just gonna sit here and wait until the anti-Nolan GAF hivemind led by Sculli devours me.
