INCEPTION Review Thread (SPOILERS!!)

[vegeta88]

BIG puzzle piece I just remembered!
Regarding the ending:

[Show spoiler]There is no way that Cobb would be happy in his subconscious with his children. Why? Remember his speech at the end to his wife? He said that she was not real enough, or enough in general because she was only his memory of her. She did not have all the little imperfections and what not.

His children were only a few years old and he spent a lot of time away from them. I don't think he would be able to accept them in the same way that he had to turn away from looking at them before.

Granted, this is not fool-proof because my theory depends on him being satisfied and happy at the end. That is what I am striving for in my search for an answer so that I can be satisfied and be happy

[sotodavid88]

This was an amazing sci-fi movie, Christopher Nolan is the best director right now in Hollywood. The music, cinematography, performances all fit together perfectly


10/10

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

BIG puzzle piece I just remembered!
Regarding the ending:

[Show spoiler]There is no way that Cobb would be happy in his subconscious with his children. Why? Remember his speech at the end to his wife? He said that she was not real enough, or enough in general because she was only his memory of her. She did not have all the little imperfections and what not.

His children were only a few years old and he spent a lot of time away from them. I don't think he would be able to accept them in the same way that he had to turn away from looking at them before.

Granted, this is not fool-proof because my theory depends on him being satisfied and happy at the end. That is what I am striving for in my search for an answer so that I can be satisfied and be happy

That's what I said!

[Show spoiler]Sure he loved and cared for his children but other than a lot of running around, they weren't really in his subconscious, at least not like his wife Mal was.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

BIG puzzle piece I just remembered!
Regarding the ending:

[Show spoiler]There is no way that Cobb would be happy in his subconscious with his children. Why? Remember his speech at the end to his wife? He said that she was not real enough, or enough in general because she was only his memory of her. She did not have all the little imperfections and what not.

His children were only a few years old and he spent a lot of time away from them. I don't think he would be able to accept them in the same way that he had to turn away from looking at them before.

Granted, this is not fool-proof because my theory depends on him being satisfied and happy at the end. That is what I am striving for in my search for an answer so that I can be satisfied and be happy

Who cares??? The film isn't about

[Show spoiler]whether he gets to his real kids or his kids in limbo.

It's about

[Show spoiler]a severely disturbed and traumatized man overcoming his guilt in order to be able to take steps towards a normal life... be it real or a dream.

That is why the ending is so ambiguiously edited together to give no information whatsoever.

[Show spoiler]The end has no relevance to the story. It is utter fluff.

Read my spoilers for further detail: https://forum.blu-ray.com/3509220-post997.html

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Who cares??? The film isn't about

[Show spoiler]whether he gets to his real kids or his kids in limbo.

It's about

[Show spoiler]a severely disturbed and traumatized man overcoming his guilt in order to be able to take steps towards a normal life... be it real or a dream.

That is why the ending is so ambiguiously edited together to give no information whatsoever.

[Show spoiler]The end has no relevance to the story. It is utter fluff.

I disagree partially.

[Show spoiler]Yes his main struggle is over-coming his guilt and that is the internal struggle externalized when he can't shoot his wife. And it is the big climax of the climax when they are in his subconscious. BUT his main motivation is to get back to his kids. The challenge is his wife, the motivation for the character is to get back home to take care of the kids which is why he said to his wife "You left them".

[Show spoiler]When you say that the "ending is utter fluff", do you mean everything from waking on the plane or just the spinning item?

I would say everything up to the spinning item is visuals of his resolution.

[nenmu]

Movie was simply mind blowing. Absolutely loved it.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

I disagree partially.

[Show spoiler]Yes his main struggle is over-coming his guilt and that is the internal struggle externalized when he can't shoot his wife. And it is the big climax of the climax when they are in his subconscious. BUT his main motivation is to get back to his kids. The challenge is his wife, the motivation for the character is to get back home to take care of the kids which is why he said to his wife "You left them".

[Show spoiler]When you say that the "ending is utter fluff", do you mean everything from waking on the plane or just the spinning item?

I would say everything up to the spinning item is visuals of his resolution.

If you read my write up that I linked you to, it's all there. But, I'll repeat myself briefly in this case. From the moment that

[Show spoiler]old Saito reaches for the gun, we have absolutely no evidence to prove either way where Cobb is. And, leaving the top spinning to go to his children is a clear indication that Cobb doesn't care anymore. Therefore, he was masking his ultimate needs throughout the film with superficial wants. This happens all of the time in real life. Many psychological problems stem from redirecting our motivations to something that we think is most important when the underlying truth is ugly, supressed, and avoided in favour of pursuing something more pleasurable.

Therefore, Nolan makes a definitive statement with everything after the moment I mentioned above. That's why we never see the top fully topple nor continue its perfect spin. The point isn't about whether the hero makes it to his real children. The point is that he isn't haunted by guilt anymore and can look forward to whatever is coming his way... reality or dream. Nothing can stop him from being content with either scenario.

Damn it... see... that was supposed to be 1 or 2 sentences!

Read my spoilers at this link for further detail: https://forum.blu-ray.com/3509220-post997.html

FFS!!! I put my ideas down and then have to edit the posts about 5 times to keep adding to it each and every time!

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Read my spoilers at this link for further detail: https://forum.blu-ray.com/3509220-post997.html

Okay then. I read it much more closely this time. First off, you are really good at presenting your arguments

Second

[Show spoiler]What your saying is: although he thought the only important thing was getting back to his children, the main issue he had to deal with was his guilt. You're right because it was clearly shown that he was not even trying to deal with it but it was creating all kinds of trouble for him and others.

When you say 'the rest is fluff' you mean because this is the main story, the core of it all.

Lastly,

[Show spoiler]the rest is pretty ambiguous. There are multiple theories regarding the spinning item. Do you think it does not matter what people choose to think happened and that there are many possibilities?
Maybe they are ambiguous BECAUSE they do not matter as much as the core of the story. Nolan purposefully only really resolved the main struggle.

[Jumpman]

I'll be seeing it again this afternoon but having thought about all night, Petra's pretty much right.

The cinematic universe that I reside in has been altered forever. The moment I walked into my house, I stared about my home video collection which consists of 199 blu rays and about 150 DVDs. 90% of them are obsolete after viewing Inception.

An absolutely cinematic stunner of epic proportions.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

Okay then. I read it much more closely this time. First off, you are really good at presenting your arguments

Thank you. When something like this film strikes me at some deeper fundamental level, it tends to bring out the best in my descriptive abilities.

Originally Posted by vegeta88

Second

[Show spoiler]What your saying is: although he thought the only important thing was getting back to his children, the main issue he had to deal with was his guilt. You're right because it was clearly shown that he was not even trying to deal with it but it was creating all kinds of trouble for him and others.

When you say 'the rest is fluff' you mean because this is the main story, the core of it all.

Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying about his guilt.

When you watch the film again, pay close attention from that moment where

[Show spoiler]old Saito picks up the gun. We never see it poised to be used in any effective way to try and bring anyone out of limbo. We never hear anything to suggest it either. But, at the heart of the true story of the film, none of what proceeds matters at all. It's all just there to reinforce the notion that our hero has prevaled against his antagonist... his own guilt manifested through his dead wifes physical form. Nolan wants us to know that. That is why everything is so ambiguous from that point onwards. Not a single member of his team gives him so much as a smirk. The only action of note on the plane is the first step in getting his name cleared, which we don't even know actually happened or not. Dream jumping? Or it really happened and they just didn't feel the need to show it? Nolan says, "Who cares. It's not important anyways." Immigration lets him in without question. "Who cares. That's not important anyways." The top is spinning and starts to falter. Cut to black. "Who cares. It's not important anyways."

The man overcoming his personal demons was the key to his happiness. It has nothing to do with where he will be after doing so. ANYWHERE will be paradise for him now that the gorilla is off his back.

Originally Posted by vegeta88

Lastly,

[Show spoiler]the rest is pretty ambiguous. There are multiple theories regarding the spinning item. Do you think it does not matter what people choose to think happened and that there are many possibilities?
Maybe they are ambiguous BECAUSE they do not matter as much as the core of the story. Nolan purposefully only really resolved the main struggle.

Sure, there are obviously many possibilities behind

[Show spoiler]the top spinning and never finding out what happens to it in those next crucial 2 or 3 seconds. But, who cares. It's the most inconsequential exposition of the entire film. Focusing too much on the top takes away from the real point of the film.

[hardcorefrokid]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

[Show spoiler]So who else is going to see this again or has already gone a second time? Not sure how much I like it or if it's my favourite movie of the year to date but it was really good.

Saw the midnight show, going to see it Saturday, and again on Sunday!

[Versatil]

Has anyone spotted Imax format scenes?

I saw nothing.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Sure, there are obviously many possibilities behind

[Show spoiler]the top spinning and never finding out what happens to it in those next crucial 2 or 3 seconds. But, who cares. It's the most inconsequential exposition of the entire film. Focusing too much on the top takes away from the real point of the film.

Saying that,

[Show spoiler]I think it leads to everything, If he wanted to get back to his kids so badly, did he stay within his limbo to see his kids as he realized he could never get back to them, or did it show his true desperation to get back to his kids by finishing the job and going back into the real world. After all was it is subconscious making the whole film up as an elaborate way to get over guilt?

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Saying that,

[Show spoiler]I think it leads to everything, If he wanted to get back to his kids so badly, did he stay within his limbo to see his kids as he realized he could never get back to them, or did it show his true desperation to get back to his kids by finishing the job and going back into the real world. After all was it is subconscious making the whole film up as an elaborate way to get over guilt?

If Nolan's intention was to make a film about a man getting back to his children, he would have

[Show spoiler]shown Cobb and Saito using the gun. He would have shown Saito actually making the full call and not just dialing a number or two. He would have shown some reaction from his team in seeing him come back. He may have even shown us the extension of the final top shot. But, either way, the top is best left as it is. All of that stuff you talked about doesn't matter since our hero was not defeated by himself. I think the bigger question becomes "What would have happened had he not rejected Mal (his guilt)?" In that case, there is only one answer... LIMBO FOREVER! Therefore, that is the pivotal point of the story. In overcoming his guilt he is free. Whatever happens after that is inconsequential. He is now going to be happy in whatever environment he exists in.

[Foggy]

[Show spoiler]LIMBO FOREVER

sounds like the title for the sequel, or an awsome dance

[vegeta88]

All right Petra. It was a difficult journey for me, but I think we are on the same page .

[Show spoiler]I like the way you used "Who cares. That's not important anyways."

Originally Posted by Versatil

Has anyone spotted Imax format scenes?

I saw nothing.

I was going to watch for that, but then the movie happened and nothing else existed

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by Foggy

[Show spoiler]LIMBO FOREVER

sounds like the title for the sequel, or an awsome dance

That would certainly define the final moments of the first film, wouldn't it?

[Versatil]

Seeing Inception just reminds me how much Nolan is a master.

I want to re-watch his Batmans now.
(went through Prestige this week)

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

That would certainly define the final moments of the first film, wouldn't it?

It would, but I do have to say,

[Show spoiler]that if Nolan's intention was to show him getting over grief and guilt, then why make such a key segment of his movie about Cobb trying to get back to his kids, I mean it's the whole drive of the film. I still think the best explanation of the end is that it's a metaphor that his dream has come true yet the little stumble is to show it's real. I don't Nolan would tease us like this is it meant nothing.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

All right Petra. It was a difficult journey for me, but I think we are on the same page .

[Show spoiler]I like the way you used "Who cares. That's not important anyways."

You'll be surprised when you watch it a second time and notice the things that I pointed out from that one moment onwards. The film goes from being very defined and detail oriented to being absolutely loose and ambiguous. It totally screamed at me

[Show spoiler]"Cobb is going to be able to live comfortably from now on. His journey is complete." Which was very weird at first because the film hadn't concluded yet and I had been so focused on the interpretive nature of the top after my first viewing. The second time I watched the top, I literally heard the words in my head, "Does it matter? He's victorious."