Some of you maybe disappointed after watched this film or maybe feel amazed. For those of you who watched Memento (2000) first (Nolan’s box office), Inception is maybe just an easy game. In simple words, Inception tells about accomplish the mission in dream within dream within dream.

“Inception is a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind” –Christopher Nolan-

I won’t tell the summary. I just wanna have fun with the characters & show you how the inception works. 😉

The TEAM

Leonardo Di Caprio (Dom Cobb): Cobb is the leader of the team. He is The (best) Extractor, he’s a master in stealing his client’s idea. No one can compete him in this job. Yes, he’s the only one. In Inception, he has to finish his job to get his family & his reputation back. It’s the second time Nolan use the name (Cobb), he did it in his first film, The Following (1998).

Joseph Gordon-Levvit (Arthur): He is the right-hand man of Cobb. Also known as The Point Man. In the film, you can see that Arthur who makes sure of all Cobb’s plans go well. After Cobb tells his idea, Arthur makes the details, organize it, & make the things work. Also he has to check the team know all the plan & how the things work. He’s the keeper of dream level two in the hotel.

Ken Watanabe (Saito): Saito offered the job to keep Cobb’s image & reputation. Actually, he doesn’t belong to the team  and  has no specific job in dream world. But his money has big influence. Then Saito as The Tourist enter the dream with the team to ensure that Cobb accomplish the mission well & Saito gets what he wants.

In the first quarter of film, Cobb & Arthur lost their architect, he became Saito’s hostage. Then to assemble the team as Saito’s command, Cobb must find a new architect.

Ellen Page (Ariadne): She design & build all the construction & maze in dreams. She is The Architect. Cobb ordered her design based on her imagination, not based on her memory of reality. Ariadne asked why she couldn’t design from her memory cos it would help her. The fact is Cobb didn’t want to remember all the things he did with Mal in real world. Ariadne feels happy cos she can create something that won’t exist in real world. She can explore her imagination.

Tom Hardy (Eames): His ability is deceive people by changing his face & body. Also known as The Forger. In the film, his first change is when he faced Fischer, he became a sexy woman. Then his big role is when he turns into Browning (Fischer’s uncle) & interviewed Fischer in order to get information about Fischer’s past. He is the keeper of dream level 3 on the snow area (when Cobb & Ariadne finally decide to enter dream level 4 – Cobb’s dream).

Dileep Rao (Yusuf): He is The Chemist. Cobb find him to get formula (the drugs) to take the team  into deepest level of dream. He’s absolutely not a drug dealer, he’s a person who has been experimenting the art of dream sharing & excited to get his self involved in Cobb’s project cos he never did it before. He has a big role in this film. He became the driver and the keeper of dream level 1.

CHARACTERS outside The TEAM:

Fischer (Cillian Murphy): He is the target. As on the poster, he also known as The Mark. Saito want Cobb to do the inception to him. He is the only heir of his father’s big company. In the film, you can see that his face is full of insecurity. He afraid he couldn’t fulfill his father expectation. Cobb looked his insecurity as a chance to plant the idea in his mind.

Mal (Marion Cottilard): She is Dom’s wife and already dead before the film is set. As on the poster, she also known as The Shade. She haunted his husband’s life. In my opinion, Cobb couldn’t take his mind from her because he feels guilty & frustrated. In their past, Cobb planted the idea about leaving in dream into Mal’s mind. After wake up from dream, Mal feels that she still live the dream so she decide to jump from top floor of building where they celebrated  the wedding anniversary to wake up and get the reality. In fact, she committed suicide.

So, I’m done explaining the characters. Hope it helps you understand the plot. Actually Nolan use the backward plot only in beginning of film, after that the plot went normal.

What is the mission Saito ordered to Cobb and the team? Did Cobb succeed accomplish the mission with his team , back to his family, or he trapped in deeper level of his dream? Just watch the movie 😉 *in my opinion, he trapped in 5^th level of his dream* oops :p

Don’t forget to leave your opinions on comment box 😉

If you still confused, I got this via twitter for you: The Inception Diagram.

Lucyland, August 5^th 2010
by @lucianancy