Well, I've finally done it... seen a movie everyone else has seen :-). Anyway, here's what I thought of it... comment and tell me what you thought.
Note: if you haven't read my English 101 post, read it first: it may help you understand some of the things that I'm saying :-).
First of all, a note: I judge movies (like most everything else) based on this hierarchy: content > worldview > artistic excellence > other. By content I mean "is there anything immoral or demeaning in this?" (glorified violence, language-especially unnecessary, "adult" content) By worldview I don't mean it has to be Christian; I just determine what it is and how well it expresses its worldview and ...well, it's kind of hard to explain :-).
I have noticed that every movie can be described in one of three ways (for artistic excellence)-
1) Would have been (or was!) better as a book
2) Would have been better unwritten!
3) Couldn't have been anything else
Most movies, in my experience, fall into the second category. The majority of the remainder fall into the first. Inception is one of those rare movies that really make excellent use of the visual medium they're in (I especially liked the symbolism, and they couldn't have gotten away with the ambiguous ending in a book) - and anyway, it would have been totally confusing in a book. Not to say it wasn't confusing anyway... :-)
In terms of worldview, this is a very complicated movie. Most (including the reviewer for World magazine) come away with the opinion that this is the movie's statement about reality:
Discovering true reality is crucial.
A very nice result, and quite logical, really, given that the characters themselves - including the one I would pinpoint as the normative character, if it has one - testify to that exact thing. And for people who actually do think about movies, but not too hard, this is going to be the result they get. Great! It's a good point. Problem is, I don't think that is what the movie really says (note: I say the movie, not the moviemakers, because I'm not sure whether or not this was intentional...more than likely they just wanted a dramatic finish...or maybe not?). Here is the central question for Inception: what does the movie convey by refusing to reveal which reality is real, and making the main character happy in the end (i.e. experiment in living ended well)? I would contend this: it is contradicting its own script by saying, "True reality does not matter, as long as you are happy." Dangerous stuff! What do you think?
Here is my evaluation of the other two key points-
Morality: pretty sketchy- they lie in order to steal and the nagging question "is it okay (moral) to plant an idea in someone else's head?" is never resolved. Corporate espionage in the form of taking people's ideas out of their minds as they dream is portrayed as illegal, but at least generally accepted... "right" would be stretching it still, though. Overall, the prevailing view of morality seems to be "the ends justify the means" - which, although occasionally valid, is in general a *very* dangerous philosophy.
Values: family, definitely; ideas and people's minds in general, skill, potentially reality
In terms of content, there was some violence, but that is all I remember - correct me if I'm wrong!
So overall- if you haven't seen it, and you're going to watch a movie anyway, watch it: you'll enjoy discussing it if you enjoy discussing, if you don't, you'll enjoy it anyway, I think. Otherwise, read a book :-).
More reviews to come... Let me know if there is anything you'd like me to review so we can discuss it! (always assuming I've read or seen it, of course!)
3 comments:
Hey, this is a great way to get your otherwise-mostly-silent-blog-watchers to comment. :)
I found Inception to be an interesting movie. I liked it, mainly on account that it showed thought, unlike many movies I know of...
So anyway, on to worldview analysis. :)
This may be just me, but I think that they were making as much of a comment on people themselves as reality. The thought I am referring to here is this: "How far are people willing to go in order to pursue an ideal, desire, or idea that may not even be real, and is that idea/desire/idea kept from getting confused with reality?"
There are many points that seem in accordance with this:
a) Cobb himself is taking on a difficult mission, with no guaranteed results(after all, the businessman could not do anything until the job was completed--and the job was of the risk that it may never be completed--even then, the businessman may never uphold his end of the deal; he trusts Cobb little enough that he would accompany Cobb into the dream world to make sure he does the job right--the consequences of the job is lifelong prison--basically, Cobb cannot do a proper cost-benefit analysis to save his life :) ), all to pursue his desire to see his family again.
b) Mal was willing to commit suicide in the dream world in order to find out what was real(even though she thought that the dream was real), and that cost her her life in the real world.
c) The items that each character carried with them(the top, the chess queen, the loaded dice) were for keeping reality and the dream separate. This meant that the characters could pursue what they wanted or needed within the dream and always be able to return to the real world(because they kept the two distinct).
d) At the end, Cobb has risked almost everything, even the fulfillment of his desire itself. And it ends happily--he has gone a huge distance in order to pursue his desire, and it gets fulfilled(or does it? :) ).
e) With the ending scene, the viewers are left wondering if he is in reality or not. But Cobb does not notice the length of time his top is spinning. I think the point here is that he has pursued his dream so long and hard, he has begun to forget the distinction between reality and his dream. Or rather, his dream has become his reality. :) I think that is another one of the main ideas in Inception--if you desire something so much you will give up almost everything for it, that desire has become your reality. After all, that is what the main character desired to do in order to get his dream--to plant an idea in the corporate leader's son's head that would be so strong that it would become his reality.
See, I love movies full of thought and symbolism--you can read into them a ton.
Under the worldview I suggested, I think that the movie does not contradict its own script at the last scene...it is rather confirming it--if you pursue a dream long enough and hard enough, even through high risk, then that dream has become your reality--you will accept it as truth and be happy, whether or not it is truly real.
I agree fully with you on all points, except for worldview--in which case I just viewed the movie in a different light. :)
But I am not assuming that I alone am correct in my analysis; what do you and everyone else think?
It is quite amusing to think about movies in very analytical ways--much more enjoyable than watching them without thinking. :)
--Josiah C.
You're right... despite the great lengths the characters go to in order to keep reality and dream separate, they don't (or can't?) in the end. Their dream becomes their life, as you said. However, I think this supports what I said too. Here's a seeming sidenote, but it'll come around in the end...
I usually leave a book (or movie) with a lingering suspicion as to its central issue, but cannot explain why. Usually, after I think about it a little bit, I will realize the point where my suspicion began-and as I was just thinking through your comment, Josiah, I realized what it was for Inception. It was the scene with the chemist where he takes Cobb and the others downstairs, and the attendant comments, "they don't come here to sleep. They come to wake up." Their reality was their dream, and they were happy. Interesting, though, that we as the viewers knew what "true" reality was then, and it was pitiful-but by the end, even we no longer know. And you're right too... Cobb no longer cares. And this does say something about people, 'tis true, but also about the nature of reality, as I said... we just took different tacks on the same wind of idea :-).
I also agree with Josiah here (if you've made it all the way through my long post, his long comment, and my long comment, congrats! :-)): I'd love to hear all of your thoughts, too!
I would say that, much like the Matrix, this movie could be dangerous if you're not strong in your faith and belief system. And I don't call myself exceptionally strong, but I believe that I can withstand the temptation to let it get into my head. As a result, I found the Matrix and Inception to be very very good movies, because they explore one of the questions that almost everyone asks: is all this real? What if it isn't? What else is out there?
For Christians, it really gets you thinking. Is this world real, or is it merely an imitation of the real world? Is it like in The Last Battle where the world is merely a bad reflection of heaven: the ultimate reality. It could be something along those lines. This life is a temporary wisp, and we really start living our real lives when we reach heaven. But, for the Christian, this should not advocate suicide (as Inception, in a way, does). Because we have the responsibility of telling other people about it, so they can join us in the real world of heaven.
But, aside from the philosophical questions, I believe that Inception was a work of genius. Visually spectacular, a compelling script, and performed to perfection by DiCaprio. As [Steve] said, it made the viewer think. It is an extremely intellectual movie. Not many movies actually get our brains going like Inception does. Definitely the best movie of the year.
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