I have this theory after sitting through the big budget mess Inception that all movie audiences really want these days is another Matrix. Not another Matrix sequel mind you (two bad follow-ups to that film were enough), but a Matrix-like experience. I was with Warner Bros when we released that film and believe me, there wasn't really a ton of faith that it would be a hit. The lack of advertising and what qualifies as hype these days elevated that Spring release to the history books. The film was fresh, visually breathtaking and most importantly it was FUN. Inception feels like a great idea and it certainly has the visual panache of a neo-Matrix, but it's hardly a redefining action film, nor does it go to great lengths to tickle our brain. Nothing in the movie informs us of a new way to look at dreams and dreaming. It sets up its own "logic" like a labyrinth and fails to provide a way out of it. Instead of logically paying off with some sort of resolving reason, the story completely crumbles before your eyes (and in slow motion, no less). Worse yet, Inception is a huge studio summer blockbuster that's high concept and resorts to some pretty tacky cliches (the "government" developed the technology for the military; the entire movie might be a "dream"). Explanations for every "motivation" are thrown at the audience at a break-neck speed, but then slow-motion camera eye-candy dangles itself like a sorbet to cleanse your intellectual palate. What would the film be without stuff exploding or guns being fired by James Bond bad-guy rejects? Well, it probably wouldn't be green-lit, and it certainly wouldn't be successful.
Do yourself a favor, and rent the far more impressive mind-bender The Fall, which successfully balances plenty of eye-candy action with a heartfelt story. Too bad nobody went to see it...
