Inception at 15 — Why the sci-fi thriller is Christopher Nolan’s best film

By Anthony Orlando Published July 16, 2025

On July 16, 2010, writer-director Christopher Nolan released his groundbreaking sci-fi action film, Inception, to theaters around the world. Fresh off the blockbuster success of The Dark Knight, Nolan unleashed the unique story of Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he and his team of “extractors” are hired to enter a business heir’s (Cillian Murphy) dreams and implant an idea into his subconscious, setting off a high-stakes journey through the dream world.

Inception continues to be one of Nolan’s most popular and beloved motion pictures to date. Winning four Academy Awards and receiving nominations for four other Oscars, including the award for Best Picture, this action-packed, mind-bending heist film presented one of the most inventive blockbusters of the 21st century. While Nolan made many other incredible movies throughout his career, specifically Memento, The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer, there are many reasons why Inception surpasses them all 15 years after its premiere.

Unlike some of Nolan’s other acclaimed films, notably The Dark Knight and Oppenheimer, which were based on pre-existing narratives, Inception is a story that Nolan came up with himself. In an interview with The Telegraph, Nolan stated that he had begun writing the story for Inception years before he made Batman Begins, which established him as a blockbuster director. Though he found success helming big-budget Batman movies, the scale and creativity on display in Inception showed how filmmakers can succeed in crafting original blockbuster stories that many moviegoers can enjoy.

The story itself features an incredibly clever concept. No one had ever seen a film about corporate spies using government technology to steal secrets from people’s dreams. Some people may need to watch Inception more than once to grasp its complex lore and plot, the latter of which flows at a brisk pace. Nevertheless, Inception makes for a once-in-a-lifetime movie experience that sparks the imagination.

Since this high-concept adventure relies on human psychology, Inception is also able to embed an earnest emotional story within this gunslinging heist film. The heart of this film is found in Cobb’s journey to reunite with his children, only to literally be held back by his own guilty conscience, as his memories haunt him in the form of his deceased wife, Mal. While Inception features classic noir archetypes through Cobb and Mal, it takes these tropes to present a unique and poignant exploration of guilt and grief as the former learns to move on from his past.

Throughout his decades-long career, Nolan has become renowned for incorporating as many practical effects as possible into his films, no matter how big and elaborate a scene may be. Naturally, the visuals featured in Inception had to be created digitally. Nevertheless, the film featured a marvelous blend of practical and computer-generated effects, presenting dream world scenes with shifting cityscapes, impossible staircases, and flooding buildings.

Since the concept of a dream heist provided infinite possibilities, Inception went all out in presenting clever and unreal action set pieces as the characters explored each other’s minds. In particular, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s gravity-defying hallway fight is a remarkable achievement of practical filmmaking, video editing, and stunt choreography. Inception even features a high-speed chase that includes a derailed train and a snowy mountaintop shootout that feels ripped from a James Bond film.

Though many of Nolan’s films play with people’s perception of reality, Inception is a film that really makes its viewers question how they see the world. One minute, the film’s characters can be sitting at a cafe, and the next, they realize they’re dreaming, and the world blows up around them, and everyone’s trying to kill them. While it might be extreme, many people have this kind of realization while they’re asleep.

Many audiences can also relate to Cobb wanting to escape from his harsh reality and into his dreams, having unintentionally caused his wife’s death. In short, this film is about a person who learns to accept reality and move past regret, allowing them to live life to the fullest.

Inception‘s narrative makes for the most memorable and mind-bending ending to a Nolan film. The final shot of Cobb’s top spinning as he reunites with his children has kept audiences debating whether this scene is real or if he’s still dreaming. It’s a chilling and beautiful conclusion that shows how Cobb has accepted his reality, all while keeping viewers questioning their reality. With Hans Zimmer’s iconic score playing in the background, this finale scene has been especially burned into people’s minds.

Though Inception has much more potential as a long-running film franchise, it arguably works better as a standalone story. Since this narrative seems like it will be left alone, there arguably won’t be another movie like it, including from Nolan himself. That only makes Inception ever more special, and it continues to be the most distinctive and impactful blockbuster that Nolan has ever made.

Inception is now streaming on HBO Max.