Inception Blu-ray Review

Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are the best at what they do, steal information from individuals through their dreams. Unable to return home to his kids because of a wrongful accusation, Cobb is offered an opportunity to redeem himself and return home. Before he can return he must assemble a team and attempt the most difficult task yet, the concept of implanting and idea inside someone’s dream, inception. But Cobb’s deeper secrets and inner turmoil will bring more trouble than he originally expected.

During the time when the movie industry is said to be running out of ideas Christopher Nolan lets his genius out and shows that while the industry is struggling with originality he still has an ace up his sleeve. While everyone else is still high off Pandora and the blue characters, Nolan was busy putting together his masterpiece. He couldn’t have possibly done it better than he did. After The Dark Knight, we all wondered if he would be able to continue on the hot streak and Nolan delivered.

Inception not only captivated the masses that went to the theaters, it left a profound feeling of satisfaction by the time the end credits began rolling. This appears to be something that has been long forgotten. The complexity of the movie draws further attention and gives us the ability to delve into the mind of each of its characters. Nolan’s exceptional execution and attention to detail through the film is masterful. The way he slowly builds the story and brings everything together for the end is perfect. Inception creates a deep sense of tension that keeps you at the edge of your seat waiting to see what will happen next.

Inception gathered an incredible cast that not delivered in every sense of the word and the majority of them going above and beyond expectations. Their performances greatly relied on a good script, which was exceptionally written, that gave each their right place in the film and enough camera time to evolve as the story is moving on. We already know that Leonardo DiCaprio is an excellent actor, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page were surprisingly good throughout the film and stood up to level. Inception didn’t only feature a great story and great performances, but it features stunning visuals. Whether the chaotic stormy beaches to the folding city (yes, you read that right), it all looks stunning.

Inception arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p VC-1 encode framed at 2.40:1. The colors are vibrant and well reproduced throughout. Black levels are rich and bold. Detailing is exceptional throughout. Fine details are well resolved and revealing. The skintones are natural and lifelike for the most part, but a tad overdone from time to time. Everything really comes together for Nolan’s intricate yet stunning visuals. There are a few issues that while they are part of the transfer they are very minor and can be overlooked. There is some ringing in various scenes, but it far from being distracting. Crushing, artifacting, and some DNR are kept at bay.

Inception arrives on Blu-ray with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless audio track. Inception simply sounds fantastic and has exceeded every expectation I had prior to watching the movie on Blu-ray. The dialogue is clean and clear and it never becomes overwhelmed by the action on the screen. Ambience as well as atmospherics are at all times active and surround the viewer creating an incredible soundfield. The LFE output is balanced yet strong. The bass rips through the soundfield with ease every time it is required. Hans Zimmer’s musical score is constantly taking advantage of the roomy soundtrack and delivery high fidelity audio. Inception sounds phenomenal on Blu-ray.

Extraction Mode – Featuring Christopher Nolan and the cast and crew as they breakdown various scenes throughout the film. This feature lets the film run and certain scenes will pause to allow the filmmaker to give a breakdown of how it was done. Also, featuring behind the scenes footage, featurettes, commentaries, and more. This feature has plenty of info and extra features that I high recommend it.

Dreams: Cinema of the Subconscious – Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in charge of hosting a documentary about dreams. Several professors and psychologist among other experts discuss talk about dreams. It’s very engrossing and entertaining.

Project Somnacin: Confidential Files – Access the web portal via BD-Live and get a glimpse of the files concerning with sharing dreams.

Inception: The Cobol Job – This motion comic tells the story of how Cobb, Arthur and Nash were hired by Cobol Tech. This is prequel to the film and I recommend you checking it out.

5.1 Inception Soundtrack – Viewers get a chance to listen to Hans Zimmer’s musical score. All tracks are presented in a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. No background imagery, it is just a still screen while the music is playing back.

Still Galleries – Two galleries: 1) concept art and 2) a collection of movie posters.

BD-Live Functionality

Digital Copy

Inception is Nolan’s masterpiece, a pinnacle of the directors’ career. Inception features everything the movie industry lacks, vision. With a great story, great casting, stunning visuals, etc., you can’t truly ask for more. The story is complex yet engrossing and the cast is phenomenal. The Blu-ray features great video and audio transfers that will leave fans satisfied. The supplements feature great content that will give you an extra look at production. Inception was a great movie all around and it’s easy to come out and tell you that I highly recommend it. Whether is a purchase or a mere rental, it’s a must see.