Inceptionis easily one of my favoriteChristopher Nolanmovies, and even though the writer/director often places the right actors in the right roles, I still can’t get over one annoying personnel decision in the 2010 mind-bending blockbuster.Every Christopher Nolan moviecomes across as meticulously planned, andInceptionis perhaps one of the biggest examples of this trait in his body of work. AlthoughInception’s endingbeing so subjective is a big part of the movie’s enduring popularity, other factors, such as the ambitious cinematography, also contribute to the film’s continued success so long after its release.
Inception’s castis filled with huge names. While this doesn’t necessarily guarantee a project will do well, Nolan helps the movie along by doing an amazing job of directing the group of stars and bringing the whole thing together. WhileI largely don’t have any problem with any ofInception’s castings, there’s one in particular that still bugs me for a very specific reason. My grievance is nothing to do with their acting ability, but rather how the actor is used.
Michael Caine Was Criminally Underutilized In Inception
Professor Stephen Miles is barely in the movie
Michael Caine’s collaboration with Christopher NolanpredatesInception, so it doesn’t surprise me that the actor was brought back again for the 2010 dream movie. However, Caine’s role as Miles - Dom Cobb’s father-in-law - meant he was barely onscreen, and I strongly believe an actor of Caine’s pedigree shouldn’t have been used in such a minor way. Then again,there is an annoyingly rational explanation for his scarce appearance inInception. The movie, from a narrative perspective, is incredibly dense.
Why Christopher Nolan Never Made Inception 2
Despite being regarded as one of his best movies, Christopher Nolan never made a sequel to 2010’s Inception. Here’s why Inception 2 hasn’t happened.
Between all the lore and the detailed worldbuilding, it’s amazing thatInceptioncovered the ground that it did. Other thanInception’s five dream levels, almost everything else felt like an afterthought. As such, it’s not really a surprise that the father of Cobb’s late wife wasn’t a major part of the story. WhileCaine performed well as Miles, almost any actor could have filled the role and had the same lack of impact. I’m of the strong opinion that if an actor like Caine is on board, there had better be a role big enough to suit his reputation.
Christopher Nolan Made It Up To Caine 2 Years Later
Michael Caine returned for much bigger roles in future Nolan movies
Inceptionwas Caine’s fourth successive Nolan movie, and that streak increased to five when he returned as Alfred Pennyworth in the director’s second Batman sequel: 2012’sThe Dark Knight Rises.Alfred was a far more prominent character than Miles was inInception, so at least the 2010 movie wasn’t the beginning of Caine receiving reduced roles. Although the actor didn’t appear in 2023’sOppenheimer, he did star in three moreChristopher Nolanmovies afterThe Dark Knight Rises, withInceptionmarking the halfway point in his eight-movie Nolan streak.
Inception
Cast
Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan, features a skilled thief who uses dream-sharing technology to steal corporate secrets. He is tasked with planting an idea into a CEO’s mind, while confronting his troubled past, which threatens the mission and his team.
