Inception Final Shot **SPOILERS OBV**

[GammaZord]

Again, **Spoilers Ahead**

I'm sure there's been countless discussion here on Inception, so to avoid redundancy, I want focus on the film's final shot:

In other words, what do you think Nolan's purpose was with the final shot?

How does that tie into your overall interpretation of the film's themes and so forth?

Discussion doesn't have to be limited to just that shot or anything but I think it's a decent common ground for a movie that's already spawned tons of interpretations.

So, what do you think?

Also, what do you make of the opening scene (with old Saito), what is it's purpose (assuming it has one)?

 

[Julianking93]

It was to leave the audience guessing as to if Leo's dreaming or not.

That's it.

The purpose of the first/last scene was to show that Saito had been sent to limbo and had been there for years and Chris Nolan likes to have the last scene at the beginning for...whatever reason.

 

[Vivaldi]

Personally, I think its to add to the mindfuckery of dreams that was already going on in the film. I am of the opinion it was yet another dream, and in fact non of the events in the movie actually happened. It could be all one elaborate dream by Cobb to redeem himself of guilt of his dead wife, or it could be just a fancy-pants dream

No one will ever know *oooooooooh*

I'm looking forward to director's cut and commentary

 

[Asturiel]

I think that it ends in reality, the whole point of it was to pose the question to the audience. And I chose the one that makes sense, happens to be the simplest one, but it makes sense to me.

[sub]I was wondering when the Inception threads to start popping up, ahh it's going to be a fun while.[/sub]

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Its to make you think that the whole time, were you actually watching his dream? Or is that reality? The whole movie can be shown to prove either way. I personally like to go with the more complicated side of things and say that its been a dream the whole time.

I mean really...his kids are still wearing the same clothes as his memory? And look exactly the same?

 

[James Hueick]

Well I think that entire scene was an entire Cobb-out.

It was to leave the audience guessing as to if Leo's dreaming or not.

That's it.

The purpose of the first/last scene was to show that Saito had been sent to limbo and had been there for years and Chris Nolan likes to have the last scene at the beginning for...whatever reason.

Ya pretty much this ^

 

[Lizmichi]

My friend and I had a discussion about this. I'm not sure what to think. Part of me thinks when he was in limbo with his wife that what they woke up to was just another dream but them how could his totem fall over in said dream unless his subconscious was bending physics. Who knows the totem could of fallen over after the last shot. He could of been in two limbo even after he and his wife left the first limbo.

 

[Arsen]

I think he made it out, but the ending left it ambiguous for the purposes of making the audience think "shit...".

 

[scnj]

I should note that whenever he was in reality, he did not wear a wedding ring. In the dreams, he did. He was not wearing his wedding ring in that final scene.

 

[GammaZord]

I think that Nolan's purpose with the ambiguous final shot was to suggest that it doesn't matter whether Cobb was dreaming or not. Instead, what is important is that he got his "catharsis" or his satisfaction.

In other words, he was reunited with his kids and he had finally confronted Mal (two things that had plagued him for the whole film). No matter if it took place in a dream or reality, Cobb was more content at the end of the film than the beginning.

Likewise, Fischer reconclied his relationship with his father--from his perspective--in at least some form of a dream. What transpired between Fischer and his father near the film's conclusion could not have taken place in reality(independent of your stance on Cobb). But, Fischer was undoubtedly changed as result.

Somewhat related where I stand, I've read a theory that suggests that Inception is a "movie about movies." In other words, the film (and all films) are collective dreams from which the audience forms an idea. In this way, the movie's dreams (and the "architect," the "forger" etc.) represent films in that that neither is reality, but nonetheless go to great lengths to inspire an idea about reality.

Anyway, I'll try to find a link as this guy made the analogy better than I can.

 

[Instant K4rma]

I personally believe that he was not dreaming. He said that his totem would never topple in the dream world. Well, in the last few seconds, you see his totem wobble side to side ever so slightly before regaining it's balance, showing that it will most likely fall at some point. In the dream world, the totem never wobbled. Not even a little. That, and all of the events leading up to that last scene - he escapes limbo and awakens on the plane, lands, and goes home to see his kids - all seem very logical. He completed his mission and saved Saito from limbo. What purpose would being in a dream at the end have to do with anything? Why would he be in a dream after he had completed what he set out to do? It just doesn't make any sense.

Just my opinion.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

He definitely made it home safely. Nolan just wanted to create some OMGZ WHAT HAPIND?! discussions.

 

[rsvp42]

Yeah, I think about the three different options he could have gone with as an ending:

1. The top wobbles and falls before the cut. Audience knows all is well.
2. Top keeps going, indicating it was still a dream. Audience leaves with a bittersweet feeling.
3. Top spins, starts to wobble a little, cut to black before audience knows for sure. Audience is able to interpret as they wish.

He went with #3 and I think it was the best choice. #1 is a little too pleasant. No real drama in that choice. It's nice, but not all that interesting. #2 is a bit unpleasant, in part because it means Leo's character hasn't really left the dream. Considering that was his whole reason for leaving his subconscious wife in limbo, it would suck if he never actually made it back out. But what would suck more about #2 is that every smartass who "called it" in the first five minutes and said "the real world is a dream too" would be totally right and all we'd hear is how "predictable" the ending was. Don't get me wrong, the thought occurred to me too, but I can't stand it when people try to guess the ending of a movie they haven't seen. Thankfully, #3 kept that ambiguous. It acknowledges the possibility that the "real world" is a dream, a possibility that was already presented by characters in the movie itself, but it doesn't say for sure. In a way, we are able to interpret the ending in whatever way we find most pleasing, but that lingering doubt will remain. It makes it a sort of double-edged ending and I found that to be even more satisfying than a definite answer.

 

[saintfrankie92]

I always thought that the top wobbling meant that he was losing touch with reality. Maybe he's awake but limbo left him mad and he's now hallucinating in a mental hospital or something?

 

[Last Bullet]

Just got back from watching it, and I wanted to say that he made it out, because of that little teeter at the very end. Then I read:

I mean really...his kids are still wearing the same clothes as his memory? And look exactly the same?

And thought "...Shit." But I don't care, I'm still going with he got out, for a couple reasons already explained by other posters.

 

[FeetOfClay]

Its to make you think that the whole time, were you actually watching his dream? Or is that reality? The whole movie can be shown to prove either way. I personally like to go with the more complicated side of things and say that its been a dream the whole time.

I mean really...his kids are still wearing the same clothes as his memory? And look exactly the same?

This makes me think he is still in a dream, along with various other thinggs, like jumping straight from the airport to his home which, while it is used in films, it still feels like not being able to remember how he got there.

 

[Slaanax]

No so much about the ending, but this is one of the more intense movies I have seen a in a while They didn't breaking up the tension to much in the movie. The only thing I really remember to break it up was when, the two characters kissed, the dude looked at her and said it was worth a shot. I wouldn't be surprised if when Fisher died in his dream everyone but Fisher became trapped in limbo.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Its to make you think that the whole time, were you actually watching his dream? Or is that reality? The whole movie can be shown to prove either way. I personally like to go with the more complicated side of things and say that its been a dream the whole time.

I mean really...his kids are still wearing the same clothes as his memory? And look exactly the same?

This makes me think he is still in a dream, along with various other thinggs, like jumping straight from the airport to his home which, while it is used in films, it still feels like not being able to remember how he got there.

Hmm...I like that. Its an interesting catch that may have just been used to show him back at the house to wrap the movie up, or in the way you saw it.