A DVD CHOICE, NOT A MOVIE THEATER CHOICE: First, allow me to say as an avid movie buff of 40 years, I have seen many flicks over the years, my tastes are varied, and I am the first to love something that will take you away from your world, into the world of a writer/director. That being said, it is of the utmost importance for me to be led, in a movie, to a point of intrigue, and visuals are of an equal importance as dialog when and where it comes to suspense. If not, the film is heavily reliant on a pretty, well known face, to keep your interest, while the flick drags on, with little relevant reason beyond verbal dribble to stay in your seat. There WERE a solid 5 or so minutes of effects, but the trailer leads you to believe there were much more. This flick allowed 90% verbal plot-building to create somewhat of a lack of suspense, a you-had-to-be-there, in my eyes, to drag a viewer into interest. Zero character building left it with a lack of relevance. I watched a surprising amount of people walk out of the theater, and more than I have ever seen leaving and coming back. They bought their ticket, but for some reason they weren't inclined to be pinned to the screen. I heard many utter the very same thing I was thinking, along with my date, while departing the theater... after 25 mins you are pretty much like what the heck is going on- I think we all followed along with the "story" as best we could, but the dead honest truth is that the first 10-20 mins are what creates an air of either interest, or turnoff... and INCEPTION left me with a lack of interest, either through writing and/or direction, that lasted throughout the 2.5 hours this movie dragged on. It was OK, but as my lady is saying beside me, you kept wishing through the first parts, for an "ah!" moment, then what came through more as confusing didn't ever seem to make up for that yearning, and judging from the reactions overheard when we were leaving, we were not alone in our assessment. Shortly, too many questions, not enough answers. WAIT FOR VIDEO, THEN PLAN ON REWINDING A FEW TIMES AND TAKING QUITE A FEW BREAKS TO PROCESS WHAT IS GOING THROUGH THE SEMI-BEWILDERED WRITER'S MIND.