I've thought about the idea that Cobb (Leo) is in a constant dreamscape and is reliving his moments through others. As they interact with him, I kept thinking how his "team" is really just a projection of himself. Every aspect of himself. The young, talented architect, the Freudian persona of the Ego, the philosophical businessman, the enforcer, the conjuring enabler, and Cobb as the Jungian Shadow persona....
Then I started thinking more...there are two dominating thoughts in my head...
Did Mal (Cobb's wife/Marion Cotillard) escape the dream back to reality by jumping? We did hear her echo the phrase "take a leap of faith" as said by Saito. Did that make Cobb go into denial and begin a downward spiral of guilt and insanity causing his own projections to analyze him, or subconscious self analyzation?
Or...
Was Miles (Michael Caine) the dreamer the whole time? We see him twice, once talking to Cobb...alone...then introducing him to the young architect (which would be a desired projection of himself), then at the end when, after Cobb acknowledges and says goodbye to his other projections, meets with him alone to see his children's faces. Yes, Cobb mentions that they were his grandkids, but since this would be a projection of himself, that wouldn't matter. And why would the kids be playing in the exact same place, in the same way, and not aged? That seems like overcoming his anxieties and freeing his own guilt as a family man.
Or maybe they're both true?
Lastly, what would all this be about anyways? Why was and is it so effective?
This story is about the human condition, with all its flaws and bumps and bruises. It's a story about how we value time only after it's gone, and how we interpret our collective experiences. As we hang on to the past, it haunts our every consciousness until we learn to let go and focus on the present. Time becomes irrelevant, and everyone's reality becomes a different dreamscape to experience life.
So, it's been a long time since I've seen a movie at the theater twice in less than a week. Chalk it up to trite storytelling and the fascination of the gimmick of 3D, but every once in awhile, a story comes along that truly hits home on all levels cerebral, visual, and humanistic.
Inception comes along, and it reminds me that cinema can be a transcending experience.
So, like everybody else, I'm sure, I have a theory, and I'd love to share it with you.
At first, I'm reminded of Ambrose Bierce' phenomenal story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and Blade Runner (Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"), then I gave it a day to sink in (I saw it at midnight and had to be up at 7am).
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last modified on Tuesday, 20 July 2010 14:34
Inception comes along, and it reminds me that cinema can be a transcending experience.
So, like everybody else, I'm sure, I have a theory, and I'd love to share it with you.
At first, I'm reminded of Ambrose Bierce' phenomenal story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and Blade Runner (Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"), then I gave it a day to sink in (I saw it at midnight and had to be up at 7am).
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Published in
Beyond Thought
2 comments
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Sunday, 01 August 2010 01:37
posted by Matt
While Michael Caine did help, he did not agree with what Leo was trying to do. I don't think he would have been so calm at Leo's arrival at the end. Where was the grandmother who was supposed to be watching the kids? I think Leo is still in a level of dreaming. It does ask the question, how were his projections carrying on without the control of Leo, except Ellen Page's character seemed to be the thing questioning if Leo was still dreaming or not. That may, or may not make sense, but she was pushing to hear his story and make his subconscious process what was happening. I think at the end he was still in a dream world. He thought that doing what he did was the way to get out of the dream and forgive himself for what happened to Mal. I think he went into this dream world trying to save Mal, but she already left. Her "suicide" was successful in getting her out of that level. Leo still needs another "kick" in the face to get him back to reality. It may seem like the simple answer but it makes sense to me. And if comparing it to Bladerunner.....Harrison Ford was a human I don't care what anyone says.
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Friday, 30 July 2010 11:10
posted by Thomas Ward
I don't entirely disagree...but I do agree that Cobb was dreaming the entire time. I think he did let go and his unconsciousness (sic) decided to stay in limbo where the children did indeed age (as confirmed by imdb cast listing), and of course we know that you can age in dreams as Cobb and Mal did, and Saito did. I think the unknown "bounty hunters" that were after him were projections of his guilt over what happened to Mal.
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I enjoyed the film and need to see it again, because Nolan left me with a few unanswered questions - there was no "kick" to get Saito and Cobb out of limbo; how many levels has Cobb gone into - remember Ariadne stumbled on him going in alone...which he admitted to doing several times...and speaking of Ariadne - could she be the personification of her greek mythology namesake - helping Cobb get out of the "labryinth" of limbo? I'm rambling, but I liked your take on it.