Christopher Nolans latest is sure to give audiences headaches: but in a good way.

Inception is not the kind of movie one generally thinks of when considering the criteria that make up a much-anticipated summer blockbuster. Its thrilling yet tragic, fantastical yet relatable but, most importantly, the film never for one moment insults the intelligence of its audience by relying on cliché or predictability.

In fact, Inception does quite the opposite. This sci-fi thriller, the latest release from indie-darling-turned-Hollywood-heavyweight Christopher Nolan, continually raises the stakes higher and higher, challenging its viewership to keep up each step of the way. It touches on themes as varied as grief, insanity and the nature of reality. Not exactly the kind of subject matter popcorn-munching moviegoers expect from their escapist voyages to their local theater.

But the beauty in Nolans work is that he manages to provide a film that is satisfying on every level. Inception is at once a rollicking adventure story, a heist film, a contemplative psychological thriller and a tragic love story. For those in search of a thrill, the film delivers. And for those looking for a sophisticated bit of thought-provoking cinema, it delivers even more.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Cobb, leader of a team of specialists who perform top-secret missions by entering peoples dreams to extract information. Of course, the plot becomes a whole lot more complicated than that, and like Nolans previous films, Inception requires multiple viewings to truly grasp every intricacy of the tale it aims to tell. The film features dazzling visuals and intriguing ideas at every turn, though, and it presents a memorable story that is worth revisiting.

While it might not match the record-breaking box office grosses of The Dark Knight, Inception is, by all accounts, an undisputed triumph and is sure to become one of the most acclaimed films of the year.

What Worked

DiCaprio once again proves that he is among the finest actors working today. When considering his impressive work in Shutter Island a few months back, 2010 is proving to be a year filled with cant-miss DiCaprio performances. He imbues Cobb with just the right combination of controlled instability and professionalism, wordlessly conveying that his character - - despite his best attempts to hide it - - is broken inside.

Likewise, all of DiCaprios costars deliver consistently strong performances, although Marion Cotillard gets the best chance to display raw emotion as the woman in Cobbs life. Joseph Gordon-Levitt -- who is currently rumored to be a contender to play the Riddler in Nolans upcoming third Batman film - - is pitch-perfect as Cobbs right-hand man, and Ellen Page lends fine support as the young woman who gets caught up in Cobbs latest mission.

In addition to the efforts of its cast, Inception owes a tremendous debt to composer Hans Zimmer. Having already collaborated with Nolan on Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Zimmer delivers a thrilling score that is stylistically similar to his work on The Dark Knight. The music truly heightens the tension throughout the film and contributes greatly to the scope and wonder of the world it aims to create.

What Didn't Work

Although the plot of Inception is virtually flawless and cliché-free, the mission which occupies much of the films focus never quite ties into Cobbs personal journey. This is really a minor quibble in an otherwise brilliantly written film, but it might have helped the film feel a tad more unified.

Also, while the film presents its central ideas -- namely the ability to invade dreams and their contrast with the real world - - in a wholly original way, it does share a thematic focus with many other sci-fi films, such as The Matrix and Total Recall. Casual moviegoers, who may not appreciate the depth of Nolans world on-screen, might wrongly feel that theyve been down this road before.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Inception stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard and Cillian Murphy. It was written and directed by Chrisopher Nolan.

Inception hits theaters July 16.