I've been a fan of David Lynch's films ever since I saw the Straight Story in the theaters as a ten year old. However, the sheer complexity and visual imagination of Inland Empire is actually making me question how good his other films actually are. The much-revered and debated imagery of Eraserhead seems hamhanded compared to the fleeting glimpses and recursive loops that Lynch apparently effortlessly set into motion here.
The final scene - a hip-hop dance routine set to "Sinnerman" while the cast glances at each other meaningfully, a lumberjack saws at concrete, a monkey jumps wildly and a one-legged girl wanders an ornate lobby - is easily one of the most compelling finales to any movie I've seen. And that's just one example of the hypnotic and unrelenting imagery that runs through the entire film. Of course if one does not have the attention span or mindset for an avant garde film that focuses on images and mystery more than a boringly set-up plot and action sequences, this movie should be avoided. But why would you be interested in a Lynch film then?
For me, someone who values visuals, philosophically intriguing content, and plot so nonexistent as to become terrifyingly omnipresent, this is pretty much the ultimate movie. The digital film looks great and the supposedly improvised script is brilliant. Easily one of my all-time avant garde favorites along with Gummo and Stroszek.