Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending, block-busting, powerhouse of a film is probably the most intelligent action extravaganza ever made.

How does one follow up the most successful Super Hero film of all time, a film that stunned audiences with its audacity to make Batman more than just a comic book vigilante? In Christopher Nolan’s case the answer was simple, finally make the film that has been like a thorn in the brain for too long. A film that would require a huge leap of faith from the folks at Warner Brothers. Make no mistake Inception, despite its now huge box-office takings and critical acclaim, was a gamble in business terms. Here was a film with no built in audience, no source material for fans to get excited about and not a sequel to an already existing franchise. In short Inception was an original script in a market saturated by unoriginal material.

The plot follows Cobb (DiCaprio) an expert in stealing ideas from people by entering their dream subconscious. On the run from the American authorities he is given the chance to return home to his family, with all his sins forgiven, by Saito (Watanabe) on the condition he can implant an idea into a business tycoon’s son. Seizing the chance to be reunited with his family, Cobb assembles his team of dream experts, including architect Ariadne (Page), forger Eames (Hardy) and right hand man Arthur (Gordon-Levitt), and plans out the ultimate mind heist.

From the opening scene Inception makes it abundantly clear nothing is what it seems. In the best way possible it demands your attention forcing you to engage with everything that is said and done. In doing so it becomes a hugely immersive experience. As we jump from dream to reality, and who knows where else, you are rewarded for keeping an eye on the motifs and nuances the film presents. Rarely are mainstream films so densely layered as this and as such it rewards you according to how much you put in. On the surface it can be viewed as a very stylish action film, but dip into it enough and it throws up an endless array of ideas. As Eames so eloquently puts it, it is “Pure creation”.

Crucial to this creation is Christopher Nolan’s unique brand of intelligent filmmaking. His Batman films have proven this but Inception has more in common with his work prior to the Caped Crusader. Here he addresses topics and themes that have been present through all of his work to date. The idea of memory from Memento (2000), the waking dream state of Insomnia (2002), the paranoia of Following (1998) and the question of identity and reality of The Prestige (2006).

Furthermore, some have seen The Prestige as a commentary on the director’s ability to make you see something before whisking the carpet out from under your feet. Inception takes this one step further and appears to be a stunningly realised text on the art of filmmaking with each of Cobb’s team representing key roles within the industry. These artists make the worlds they create so visceral that as an audience we escape our own reality for a short period of time, just as Cobb and his team do every time they dip into the dream world. Special mention should go to both Hans Zimmer, for a score that crescendos through your very soul, and Nolan’s regular cinematographer Wally Pfister who creates a wonderful Micheal Mann look to the piece, made all the more breathtaking in full HD Blu-Ray.

There was a moment in Nolan’s career where action seemed to be something he struggled with. One or two scenes in Batman Begins (2005) felt shaky and lacking in confidence. Thankfully he has now become a master of the set-piece, as proven with The Dark Knight (2008), and Inception has more than enough to dazzle. From the climatic shoot-out, in an almost Bond like snow fortress, to Arthur’s gravity defying fights, Inception takes action to jaw dropping levels. What makes it all the more stunning is that no action scene is there just for the sake of upping the ante. It is designed to progress and heighten the plot seamlessly integrating itself into the narrative of the film. It makes The Matrix look like a bragging child by comparison.

As with Batman, Nolan has assembled a stunning array of talent to aid him in the acting department. Page continues her ability to excel in any genre as the wide-eyed new recruit Ariadne, managing to bring a sense of authority to the more gung-ho Cobb. Gordon-Levitt has fast become one of the most dependable actors currently working. He has an understated, yet ever felt screen presence that is hard not to be drawn to, in fact it is him and Page who share one of the lighter, more touching, moments of the film. Meanwhile Tom Hardy finds time to be both the comic relief and the voice of reason and is clearly having a ball as the effortlessly charming Eames, his banter with Levitt is something that always raises a smile. As ever though it is DiCaprio who demonstrates why he is such a revered actor. His gift for never being just one thing on screen is a delight to behold. As Cobb he is a ball of misgivings but also arrogant enough to steamroller his way to his end goal. Between this and Shutter Island this year he has cemented his role as the most in demand actor in the world.

Forget motion-capture, throwaway advances in CGI and burn 3D, the real revolution in modern cinema is Christopher Nolan. A director who is able to effortlessly infuse stunning action with genuinely realised story-telling in as thought provoking a subject matter as you will ever witness. Simply put, Inception is probably the most intelligent action film you will ever see. Or is that just an idea Mr. Nolan has implanted in our sub-conscious? Irrelevant we believe it and as such will continue to revel in the sheer audacity of Inception.

Extras: Extraction Mode: infiltrate the dreamscape of Inception – with this in-movie experience – to learn how Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio and the rest of the cast and crew designed and achieved the movies signature moments. Dreams: Cinema of the Subconscious: taking some of the most fascinating and cutting-edge dream research to-date on lucid dreaming, top scientists make the case that the dream world is not an altered state of consciousness, but a fully functional parallel reality. Inception: The Cobol Job: now in full animation and motion, check out this comic prologue to see how Cobb, Arthur, and Nash came to be enlisted by Cobol Engineering and perform an extraction on Saito. 5.1 Soundtrack selections from Hans Zimmer's score Conceptual art gallery Promotional art archive Trailers TV spots