Inception¹ is a 2010 British-American science fiction film written, co-produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. The film stars a large ensemble² cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken³ Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy⁴, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine. DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb.

 

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious⁵ during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted⁶ player in this treacherous⁷ new world of corporate⁸ espionage⁹, but it has also made him an international fugitive¹⁰ and cost him everything he has ever loved.

 

Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise¹¹ can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

 

Shortly after finishing Insomnia¹² (2002), Nolan wrote an 80-page treatment about "dream stealers" and presented the idea to Warner Bros., envisioned as a horror film inspired by lucid¹³ dreaming. Feeling he needed to have more experience with large-scale film production, Nolan retired¹⁴ the project and instead worked on Batman Begins (2005), The Prestige (2006), and The Dark Knight¹⁵ (2008). He spent six months polishing the script before Warner Bros. purchased it in February 2009. Inception was filmed in six countries and four continents, beginning in Tokyo on June 19, 2009, and finishing in Canada on November 22, 2009. Its official budget was $160 million, a cost which was split between Warner Bros and Legendary¹⁶ Pictures. Nolan's reputation and success with The Dark Knight helped secure the film's $100 million in advertising¹⁷ expenditure¹⁸, with most of the publicity¹⁹ involving viral marketing²⁰.

 

Inception premiered in London on July 8, 2010, and was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters on July 16, 2010. A box office success, Inception has grossed over $800 million worldwide becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time. The home video market also had strong results, with $68 million in DVD sales. Inception has received wide critical acclaim²¹ and numerous critics have praised its originality²², cast, score, and visual effects. It won Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Cinematography, and was also nominated for four more: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Art Direction.

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