Inception Ending (Spoiler if you have not seen it)

KxBlaze · 07-28-2010, 02:47 PM

So do you think he is in a dream or in reality?

I think he is in a dream for a few reasons.

1. The top was never his totem. It was his wife's. He said specifically that your totem has to be your you own, no one elses. So that particular totem cannot tell Leo if he is in a dream or in reality.

2. His kids are wearing the same clothes they were in his memory of them at the end of the movie. Now this could be purely coincidence but I think it means that his memory is filling in what he wants to see.

3. Leo was so worried about his totem (really his wife's totem) throughout the movie but at the end where it is most important, he spins it and never lets it finish to see if it falls or keeps going, he walks away from it.

Leonardo is stll dreaming. That sucks because I think that "still in a dream" ending is a cop out, but still a very good movie.

deadwolfbones · 07-28-2010, 02:59 PM

In re: #2, the imdb page lists different actors for his kids at different ages.

I don't think it really matters all that much. It was there for thematic ambiguity, not plot ambiguity.

Eruditass · 07-28-2010, 03:39 PM

I like the paradox theory: Inception was made to be an impossible staircase. It was crafted in such a way that there red herrings whether we walk up towards the idea that it is reality, or down towards the dream theory.

Anyways, here are some things that suggest a reality:
Cobb's totem is his wedding ring, it is only on his finger in dreams. It isn't on at the end.

Kids are dressed differently. When in his dreams, he stated he could never change that moment and see their face. In the end he does.

The top at the end wobbles, which woudn't in a dream.

Cobb remembers how he got to his house.

Now, to add to your points to counter the above:

1. The totem really is used to differentiate whether or not you are in someone else's dream. If you are in your own dream, you know how your totem feels and works, so you can craft your dream to fake that.

2. Mind is a powerful thing, and definitely possible.

3. When he goes to his kids, the totem begins to wobble. Saito or whoever has succeed in inception: Cobb made himself believe that it was reality, thus made his top wobble.

Watch Memento if you haven't already!

Ratmagiclady · 07-28-2010, 04:32 PM

I think the point of that is, we don't know, and he's past caring.

(Of course, the fact that the kids don't seem to have aged doesn't bode well, if you prefer certain things, but there we are.)

RawheaD · 07-28-2010, 04:54 PM

Originally posted by Ratmagiclady

I think the point of that is, we don't know, and he's past caring.

(Of course, the fact that the kids don't seem to have aged doesn't bode well, if you prefer certain things, but there we are.)

It's never made absolutely certain how long it has been since his wife died. Certainly, is hasn't been too long, since the kids haven't grasped the ramifications of their mother's death, as Cobb had to tell them "Remember, we talked about this... mom isn't coming back" or something to that effect. If it's only been several months, there isn't a problem that the kids haven't grown.

Remember, Cobb spends tons of time in people's dreams. 3 months in the outside world probably feel to him like years.

reeftool · 07-29-2010, 07:32 AM

The ending leaves you thinking and wondering. As the main theme throughout the movie is the blurred line between reality and dream, the ending was a perfect fit.

**rparmar** · 07-29-2010, 08:14 AM

To be brutally honest I simply could not care. The film was an OK roller-coaster ride with two or three great SFX sequences, but was ultimately not very interesting, for the simple reason that the characters were poorly developed. I saw it once but had no problem following the plot. I suppose I've been trained at the PK Dick School of Phenomenology.

Not only that, the idea of dreams and the subconscious was ludicrous. I mean, if you had to create a perfect world to live in, would it really be a mega-new York complete with four thousand skyscrapers? How boring is that? And if you had a nightmare based on suppressed emotions and guilt would it really only amount to a woman who glares a lot?

Solaris (either version) did this way better. And The Cell painted a far more convincing nightmare world of the subconscious. Inception was possibly the most up-tight flick I have seen in ages. Still fun, but nowhere near a five-star film.

deadwolfbones · 07-29-2010, 12:35 PM

eXistenZ (by Cronenberg) did it way better as well.

Eruditass · 07-29-2010, 06:08 PM

Originally posted by rparmar

To be brutally honest I simply could not care. The film was an OK roller-coaster ride with two or three great SFX sequences, but was ultimately not very interesting, for the simple reason that the characters were poorly developed. I saw it once but had no problem following the plot. I suppose I've been trained at the PK Dick School of Phenomenology.

Not only that, the idea of dreams and the subconscious was ludicrous. I mean, if you had to create a perfect world to live in, would it really be a mega-new York complete with four thousand skyscrapers? How boring is that? And if you had a nightmare based on suppressed emotions and guilt would it really only amount to a woman who glares a lot?

Solaris (either version) did this way better. And The Cell painted a far more convincing nightmare world of the subconscious. Inception was possibly the most up-tight flick I have seen in ages. Still fun, but nowhere near a five-star film.

Agreed on the characters. I gave the movie a 7/10 but it still is fun for me to analyze. If the characters were projections of Cobb then it makes it a little better, but still failed on the emotional connection part.

Cobb never had a nightmare about Mal, they were all his dreams of a perfect world. Her glaring a lot was just his subconscious projection of her, because he felt extremely guilty for what he did.

Nevertheless, no rapport for many viewers.

07-28-2010, 02:47 PM	#1
KxBlaze Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,602	Inception Ending (Spoiler if you have not seen it) So do you think he is in a dream or in reality? I think he is in a dream for a few reasons. 1. The top was never his totem. It was his wife's. He said specifically that your totem has to be your you own, no one elses. So that particular totem cannot tell Leo if he is in a dream or in reality. 2. His kids are wearing the same clothes they were in his memory of them at the end of the movie. Now this could be purely coincidence but I think it means that his memory is filling in what he wants to see. 3. Leo was so worried about his totem (really his wife's totem) throughout the movie but at the end where it is most important, he spins it and never lets it finish to see if it falls or keeps going, he walks away from it. Leonardo is stll dreaming. That sucks because I think that "still in a dream" ending is a cop out, but still a very good movie.

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07-28-2010, 02:59 PM	#2
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 7,450	In re: #2, the imdb page lists different actors for his kids at different ages. I don't think it really matters all that much. It was there for thematic ambiguity, not plot ambiguity.

07-28-2010, 03:39 PM	#3
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	I like the paradox theory: Inception was made to be an impossible staircase. It was crafted in such a way that there red herrings whether we walk up towards the idea that it is reality, or down towards the dream theory. Anyways, here are some things that suggest a reality: Cobb's totem is his wedding ring, it is only on his finger in dreams. It isn't on at the end. Kids are dressed differently. When in his dreams, he stated he could never change that moment and see their face. In the end he does. The top at the end wobbles, which woudn't in a dream. Cobb remembers how he got to his house. Now, to add to your points to counter the above: 1. The totem really is used to differentiate whether or not you are in someone else's dream. If you are in your own dream, you know how your totem feels and works, so you can craft your dream to fake that. 2. Mind is a powerful thing, and definitely possible. 3. When he goes to his kids, the totem begins to wobble. Saito or whoever has succeed in inception: Cobb made himself believe that it was reality, thus made his top wobble. Watch Memento if you haven't already!

07-28-2010, 04:32 PM	#4
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	I think the point of that is, we don't know, and he's past caring. (Of course, the fact that the kids don't seem to have aged doesn't bode well, if you prefer certain things, but there we are.)

07-28-2010, 04:54 PM	#5
RawheaD Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: MA, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 831	Originally posted by Ratmagiclady I think the point of that is, we don't know, and he's past caring. (Of course, the fact that the kids don't seem to have aged doesn't bode well, if you prefer certain things, but there we are.) It's never made absolutely certain how long it has been since his wife died. Certainly, is hasn't been too long, since the kids haven't grasped the ramifications of their mother's death, as Cobb had to tell them "Remember, we talked about this... mom isn't coming back" or something to that effect. If it's only been several months, there isn't a problem that the kids haven't grown. Remember, Cobb spends tons of time in people's dreams. 3 months in the outside world probably feel to him like years.

07-29-2010, 07:32 AM	#6
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,554	The ending leaves you thinking and wondering. As the main theme throughout the movie is the blurred line between reality and dream, the ending was a perfect fit.

07-29-2010, 08:14 AM	#7
rparmar Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,819	To be brutally honest I simply could not care. The film was an OK roller-coaster ride with two or three great SFX sequences, but was ultimately not very interesting, for the simple reason that the characters were poorly developed. I saw it once but had no problem following the plot. I suppose I've been trained at the PK Dick School of Phenomenology. Not only that, the idea of dreams and the subconscious was ludicrous. I mean, if you had to create a perfect world to live in, would it really be a mega-new York complete with four thousand skyscrapers? How boring is that? And if you had a nightmare based on suppressed emotions and guilt would it really only amount to a woman who glares a lot? Solaris (either version) did this way better. And The Cell painted a far more convincing nightmare world of the subconscious. Inception was possibly the most up-tight flick I have seen in ages. Still fun, but nowhere near a five-star film.

07-29-2010, 12:35 PM	#8
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 7,450	eXistenZ (by Cronenberg) did it way better as well.

07-29-2010, 06:08 PM	#9
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	Originally posted by rparmar To be brutally honest I simply could not care. The film was an OK roller-coaster ride with two or three great SFX sequences, but was ultimately not very interesting, for the simple reason that the characters were poorly developed. I saw it once but had no problem following the plot. I suppose I've been trained at the PK Dick School of Phenomenology. Not only that, the idea of dreams and the subconscious was ludicrous. I mean, if you had to create a perfect world to live in, would it really be a mega-new York complete with four thousand skyscrapers? How boring is that? And if you had a nightmare based on suppressed emotions and guilt would it really only amount to a woman who glares a lot? Solaris (either version) did this way better. And The Cell painted a far more convincing nightmare world of the subconscious. Inception was possibly the most up-tight flick I have seen in ages. Still fun, but nowhere near a five-star film. Agreed on the characters. I gave the movie a 7/10 but it still is fun for me to analyze. If the characters were projections of Cobb then it makes it a little better, but still failed on the emotional connection part. Cobb never had a nightmare about Mal, they were all his dreams of a perfect world. Her glaring a lot was just his subconscious projection of her, because he felt extremely guilty for what he did. Nevertheless, no rapport for many viewers.