Inception SPOILER Thread

wozza2k · 20 Jul 2010 at 13:57

He wasn't away from his kids for long in real time, but don't forget, the dream world time is longer so it probably felt like an eternity since he saw his children for him.

L1ght · 20 Jul 2010 at 19:15

If the entire film were set in Cobb's limbo then this could easily set the film up for a sequel, which could be about absolutely anything.

nicktay2605 · 20 Jul 2010 at 19:51

I can't make my mind up about whether it's a dream or not, the totem at the end looks like it is starting to wobble, but earlier on in the film when he spoke to his kids on the phone the daughter sounded much older (like she was supposed to be a teenager now). That for me was the clearest sign that something was wrong and I actually expected Leo to get home and realise that his kids had grown up loads.

-Ad- · 22 Jul 2010 at 08:39

Russinating said:
I think it was reality, though the answer could boil down to the timings.

Did Leonardo wake up on the plane at the same time as everyone else or later? Because "dream 1" only lasted around 2-3 hours, which equates to 10-15 minutes of real time, yet the plane was about to land (ie it actually took 9.5 hours real time).

This is what we chatted about afterwards.

Each 5 minute segment is about an hour, so for the full flight time in layer 1 it would have taken about 5 days, but they were only there for a few hours. Along with the sedeation and and much longer perceived dream time in the subsequent layers (which increased greatly) they could not have woken up on the flight just before it landed!

Also with some on how did he move from one limbo with his wife (death of Cillian murphy) to that of sato, but that could be explained that they were in Cillians subconcious so the limbo there is the last layer so everyone who dies in the dream would be stuck there due to them being under such heavy sedation.

Really needs another viewing as there are soo many questions and possibilities, but what a film. Already I see it as one of my favourites, it was perfect!

daz · 22 Jul 2010 at 10:57

markweatherill · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:06

As I recall it, the children in the garden were in very similar positions to what they were in Cobb's memory / dreams. Only this time they turned round and we had the happy ending. It was like that dream / memory sequence finally having an ending added. It does make us think. I remember the wife asking Cobb if he thought being chased round the world by evil corporations and Police was his idea of reality?

The other thing I thought after it ended, was this: hold on, these people just drugged someone so they could invade his mind.
Perhaps waking up on the plane was not waking into reality after all, for any of them.
Fischer may have been playing with their minds.

I love films that make you think like this one does.

jonislost · 23 Jul 2010 at 12:27

Something which is bugging me:

Level one - Van is free falling
Level two - Zero mavity
Level three - mavity is fine

Wouldn't the lack of mavity in level two remove mavity from level three and subsequent levels in a domino effect because everyone asleep in each level would have a zero mavity effect caused by the level above?

Raikiri · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:09

There's that, also you have to wonder why he didn't simply kill his wife and himself in the first place rather than planting the idea that they had to die.

Russinating · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:33

jonislost said:
Something which is bugging me:

Level one - Van is free falling
Level two - Zero mavity
Level three - mavity is fine

Wouldn't the lack of mavity in level two remove mavity from level three and subsequent levels in a domino effect because everyone asleep in each level would have a zero mavity effect caused by the level above?

No, because they're not moving in level two. Floating in zero mavity wouldn't give you the feeling of moving about all over the place/freefall.

My girlfriend noticed something very interesting during the second viewing. Dreams all have common themes (in real life and in the film). Along with certain phrases (leap of faith), the big one is numbers. That is, the safe number read out over the phone, the telephone number given to Fischer by the blonde, the two hotel rooms in level 2 (put together) and the actual safe number at the end are all the same. More interestingly, the first 3 digits of said code are also the hotel room number where Cobb/Mal shared their anniversaries. Coincidence, or proof it's all a dream?

jonislost · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:35

Russinating said:
No, because they're not moving in level two. Floating in zero mavity wouldn't give you the feeling of moving about all over the place/freefall.

My girlfriend noticed something very interesting during the second viewing. Dreams all have common themes (in real life and in the film). Along with certain phrases (leap of faith), the big one is numbers. That is, the safe number read out over the phone, the telephone number given to Fischer by the blonde, the two hotel rooms in level 2 (put together) and the actual safe number at the end are all the same. More interestingly, the first 3 digits of said code are also the hotel room number where Cobb/Mal shared their anniversary. Coincidence, or proof it's all a dream?

Very true I'm so glad you pointed that out

I can sleep happy again now.

As for the numbers, very good catch repetition of numbers is a classic dream sign.

Tunney · 23 Jul 2010 at 17:09

I think the important thing about the ending was that Cobb spun the top and then walked away. He no longer cared whether it was real or a dream. What mattered is that he was back with his kids.

Russinating · 23 Jul 2010 at 18:27

Tunney said:
I think the important thing about the ending was that Cobb spun the top and then walked away. He no longer cared whether it was real or a dream. What mattered is that he was back with his kids.

The totem's irrelevant in this case: it only tells you if you're in somebody else's dream, not your own. It could have toppled and still been a dream, and visa versa.

sorn21 · 24 Jul 2010 at 22:29

Russinating said:
My girlfriend noticed something very interesting during the second viewing. Dreams all have common themes (in real life and in the film). Along with certain phrases (leap of faith), the big one is numbers. That is, the safe number read out over the phone, the telephone number given to Fischer by the blonde, the two hotel rooms in level 2 (put together) and the actual safe number at the end are all the same. More interestingly, the first 3 digits of said code are also the hotel room number where Cobb/Mal shared their anniversaries. Coincidence, or proof it's all a dream?

Didn't they keep repeating the numbers so Fischer believed he thought of them?

That was the same number to unlock the safe so he didn't realise he was part of Inception?

Antar Bolaeisk · 24 Jul 2010 at 23:22

daz said:
I think Nolan is deliberately ambiguous - not just with the ending but throughout the movie. There are signs that it could be reality *or* a dream all the way through, but nothing truly conclusive.

I really liked that because if he did answer the question one way or another it would have left some people annoyed where as this way everyone gets the answer they want from it.

Alex_6n2 said:
There are a number of occasions where the characters would have had a sensation of falling (or at least accelerating - like in the lift when they hit the floor of it) and should have woken up - but didn't.

That was my only gripe with the movie. Loved it otherwise.

Well when the van was tumbling most of the characters were already in the third (snow) layer so they wouldn't have woken up but wax head probably should have. The wake ups had to be sequenced so that they woke up layer by layer.

markweatherill said:
As I recall it, the children in the garden were in very similar positions to what they were in Cobb's memory / dreams. Only this time they turned round and we had the happy ending.

He changed one of his regrets, his basement regret, that he never got to see his kids faces. (edit: actually that wasn't his basement one was it? The basement one was the hotel room wasn't it?)

Regardless, he still changed one of his greatest regrets.

stoke1863 · 24 Jul 2010 at 23:32

one thing i didnt get.

Cobb and mal were shown to be in limbo were they built there perfect lives and grew old together. Theye then showed them with wrinkled hands.

How come when they decided to leave limbo they both laid down on the train tracks they were young again?

I thoguht they were old in limbo?

Deiwos · 24 Jul 2010 at 23:44

n1blo said:
Didn't they keep repeating the numbers so Fischer believed he thought of them?

That was the same number to unlock the safe so he didn't realise he was part of Inception?

They implanted the numbers in Fischers mind yeah. The way in which the numbers appear in subsequent dreams would be a result of the numbers being implanted in Fischers sub-conscious.

Interesting thought on the children side of things, although we have no idea how long Cobb has been without Mal/his kids as there's no timeline for that.

ojrules · 24 Jul 2010 at 23:58

stoke1863 said:
one thing i didnt get.

Cobb and mal were shown to be in limbo were they built there perfect lives and grew old together. Theye then showed them with wrinkled hands.

How come when they decided to leave limbo they both laid down on the train tracks they were young again?

I thoguht they were old in limbo?

answer wanted for this ^^.. only just noticed it...

Antar Bolaeisk · 25 Jul 2010 at 00:19

ojrules said:
answer wanted for this ^^.. only just noticed it...

Well they did establish that appearances can be altered in the dream state so I guess they could be old and young all at the same time.

[ASSE]Hinchy · 25 Jul 2010 at 01:52

I'm sure it was just because if they showed two old people on the lines you wouldn't have connected as much.

It can be blagged by saying that Ariadne would have pictured them with their youthful faces when Cobb was telling the story.

BunnyKillBot · 25 Jul 2010 at 08:30

stoke1863 said:
one thing i didnt get.

Cobb and mal were shown to be in limbo were they built there perfect lives and grew old together. Theye then showed them with wrinkled hands.

How come when they decided to leave limbo they both laid down on the train tracks they were young again?

I thoguht they were old in limbo?

^^ Also didn't notice that, but aye it could be blagged

I found that scene really difficult actually. It reminded me of that couple who lost their son and jumped off the cliffs to their deaths together. Sort of an ultimate love tragedy. Very sad