July 21, 2010
Inception
Is this a dream or is this reality? The internets have already started concocting and trying to explain the movie Inception. On one side, you have people claiming that the ending is just a dream while on the other, the ending is real. There’s a theory out there that the whole thing is just a dream. Nolan’s dream. Cobb and all the characters are related to different movie production roles and the movie itself shows how movies are like dreams. Yet is that important? Does it matter whether it’s a dream or not?
At the end of the film, Cobb finds catharsis when he finally sees the faces of his children. Cobb finds peace whether the film is just a dream or reality. That begs the question, would one rather live happily in a dream or live in reality? Similar to another film I’ve seen earlier this year, Shutter Island. Shutter Island asks the question – would you rather die as a (dream) hero or live as a (reality) monster? What if the world I live in now is just a dream. Maybe an idea planted in my head.
I lean towards Inception’s ending being real. One, it’s simpler to understand that the end was reality. Second, Nolan might be wanting to make people doubt the reality of the ending by planting an idea that the whole film might be a dream. That makes the whole movie the inception itself. The movie, the idea of a dream, planted in our minds like a seed and it steadily grows. Look at the number of people (including me) who have already been enslaved by reading theories and trying to think what actually happened. The seed has been planted. Look at how it grows.
This life can be a dream or reality but same with the movie, does it matter? I don’t believe so. I enjoy every exciting happy moment and struggle through every painful and sorrowful events. I love my life. What if love is a dream? Does that matter? No. The only thing that matters is that I’m happy. Who cares whether it’s real or fake. I live my life growing up and living it.
Let’s take it further to metaphysics and religion. Does it matter there is an afterlife? How about purpose? What if life is meaningless? In my world view, it doesn’t matter. I still enjoy and hate living equally whether or not I live without purpose.
kitteh said,
July 22, 2010 at 2:32 pm
“..Similar to another film I’ve seen earlier this year, Shutter Island. Shutter Island asks the question – would you rather die as a (dream) hero or live as a (reality) monster? What if the world I live in now is just a dream. Maybe an idea planted in my head…” uu nga noh, now I understand better why they’re kinda similar (aside from DiCaprio’s presence lol).
And yeah, well said! Hahaha Nolan’s a genius for being able to successfully plant that seed (but vampeh is smarter :3)
Now I understand too why you’re so against the “ariadne theory”