Inception Stars Talk Sequel And What That Ending Means
On the red carpet of the film's L.A. premiere, MTV News caught up with the stars of Christopher Nolan's latest mindbender to see if they thought the film could support a sequel and to quiz them on their interpretations of the final scene, with one actor offering a very tantalizing clue. Spoilers ahead.
Leonardo DiCaprio had a definite view of whether his character made it back to reality or was still stuck in a subconscious dream, but sadly did not want to share with the rest of the class, saying that "I have my own specific take on that final scene," but wanted to let audiences to interpret the end for themselves.
Cillian Murphy was just as tight-lipped, announcing that he "wouldn't want to give an opinion on that," and refusing to speculate on any chance of a sequel. Clearly, to get any good info, we're gonna have to go to the fourth or fifth leads.
And like manna from heaven, Lukas Haas has given freely of his opinion: "My take? I think it's real," he declared. And with Dom Cobb alive and well and lucid, that leaves the door open to a sequel, a sequel that could easily be made, says Haas.
But it was Dileep Rao, who played Yusef the Chemist, who gave the most fascinating clue and suggested audiences ignore their eyes, if just for a moment. "You know what, I'll just say this: Use your ears not your eyes," he offered.
I'm honestly torn on this -- on the one hand, his kids are still in almost the same position as he saw them last. And, though I can't recall, are they even wearing the same clothes as they were in Cobb's reoccurring visions? But on the other hand -- didn't that top seem like it wobbled just the teeeeeensiest bit right before the movie cut to black?
What do you think? Is it real or is it another dream? Did Cobb make it out alive or is he still stuck in the purgatory of his subconscious?
· Inception Stars Weigh In On Sequel Potential At Hollywood Premiere [MTV]
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Hi!
I have to agree with the notion regarding his wedding ring, it is arguably a very strong indicator that he is infact AWAKE. What makes it confusing though is the fact that he is using Mal's totem. Doesn't that mess up the hole thing?
I mean it doesnt matter if it falls, since it hers, and so forth. Reading this discussion, I am leaning towards him being awake, but I am not at all convinced. And I just feel there is some piece of evidence everyone is overlooking, I have a feeling Nolan is actually considering making a sequel and in that movie actually revealing that Mal is not dead at all, and that he is in fact inside her dream.
But that is more of a feeling than a theory to back up with clear evidence.
On one hand, the wedding ring makes a strong argument.
On the other hand, the fact that it is Mal's totem also makes an impressive argument.
I don't know.... but I do love this discussion
And I simply adore the movie!!!
but then he would have forgot about the deal he made with cobb
I think Dom is stuck inside Mal and Dom's dream. They don't have children...she was right, Dom invented them. In the sequel, Mal with get a team together to go down the three levels to rescue Dom.
"Use your ears, not your eyes" Listen very closely at the end right before the credits, you can clearly hear the top hitting the table. Also look at the credits themselves, It has two different actors for each of his children. each 2 years apart which leads me to believe that his children have aged at least 2 years.... i believe the ending was reality. Thats my 2 cents
This movie was absolutely incredible because it real tests you mind; makes you think hard.
Anyways, I cannot say whether it is one or the other.
Evidence for REALITY:
If you keep track through the movie, Cobb and co. get out of every dream the enter, with the exception of limbo. Because Cobb and Saito have died in each level before (lvl. 1, both drown, lvl. 2, gravity reinsinuates, causing elevator to crash, and lvl. 3, Saito dies of wound, Cobb from hospital explosion) their minds skip those levels, causing them to go straight from limbo to reality. Next, the top seems like it is about to fall in the end. Third, as stated before, the credits tell that the children were played by two different people, each two years apart. Lastly, James and Phillipa do have slightly different clothing on.
Evidence for DREAM:
In the scene where newly introduced Yusuf demonstrates his sedative to him, Cobb doesn't accurately test reality; he is interrupted by Saito. From this point on, the movie could be a dream. Also, as noted before, Phillipa's voice sounds like that of a ten year old when she is speaking to her father over the phone (at the end, you can hear Phillipa say something along the lines of "Come on"; she sounds about 6 years old), but the credits tell that she is five at her oldest. This can be disputed however, as the credits say the children are but one year apart, yet Phillipa seems to be at least two years older than James. Another point of argument is the children's clothing. Although they are different, they are VERY close. Could this mean that Cobb's memory is a bit off? After all, it has been two years in real time since he has last seen them, plus however long he has in dream time.
Another curious little piece of evidence could go both ways: when Cobb's children appear in the dreams. On the side of the dream, this could me that these are his own projectios, and that he is bringing them into deeper levels, even though he may not always be the dreamer. Perhaps what is considered "real life" is really Cobb's dream, and he is bringing the projections of his children into others' dreams within his own. This then argues this interesting question: is Cobb in his own self-created dream? or is someone else the architect? On the side of reality, the "projections" of his children may be in Cobb's own mind, like hallucinations. Also, they could represent his subconscious, leading him to Mal in limbo.
As for the wedding ring idea, I have not really looked into it, so I cannot say.
Bottom line: there is proof for both sides that makes for no easy solution. I do not think we will know for sure until Nolan tells us straight out, whether it be through an interview or an all-revealing sequel.
i think he means listen closley. when the screen goes black
He is in fact, still sleeping. His kids are wearing the same clothes month/maybe years later, the boy is still in plaid shirt, girl is still in the orange dress... they just happen to be in the same spot wearing the same clothes as he left them before he was on the run after his wife implicated that he'd be a bad father??? doubt it.... he never said goodbye to the kids, when he came home, the top never stopped spinning because his attention was diverted to the kids, they turned around -- but they're in the same clothes! We need a sequel, he needs to wake up dammit!
it's the same clothing, the first "memory" of the kids is at about 16 minutes into the movie, and the last is at the end, it's the same clothes
"Use your ears, not your eyes".
Now, if everyone was not going "AW" at the cut to black at the credits you would have heard the faintest 'plink'. Yes, right as it fades to black to begin the credits you hear a small 'plink' that is the totem falling. Listen closely. Turn the volume up to level it would be if you were at the theater.
It is very hard to hear but it's there. Google it. You'll see.
I've completely written a second movie in my head, as I am fucking obsessed. In this movie you find out that the totem Maul left behind was never really Cobbs, but his wedding ring. The movie sort of revolves around that.
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