The ending of the film Inception has inspired debate and theories ever since it hit cinemas in 2010 but now its director, Christopher Nolan, has finally revealed its true meaning.
Inception has maintained a cult following over the years. Its plot focuses on Dom Cobb – played by Leonardo DiCaprio – a thief who can enter people’s dreams and steal secrets from their subconscious. This makes him a wanted man – both by people who want to use his ability, and the authorites.
The job costs Cobb everything he has ever loved, but then gets a shot at getting his life back, if he completes one last job (isn’t it always?). He must achieve the seemingly impossible – inception. In short, rather than stealing an idea from someone’s subconscious, he will have to plant one instead. But there is also a dangerous enemy that seemingly predicts every move that Cobb and his team make – but it is an enemy only Cobb could have seen coming.
Warning: spoiler alert ahead
In the final scene, Cobb arrives home and can see the faces of his children, but before he goes to see them, he spins the spinning top totem – his way of telling if he is dreaming – but rather than watch it fall, he goes to see his children. The top is still spinning as the screen fades to black.
So far, so ambiguous. But now, Nolan has given his explanation. Talking to Josh Horowitz for his Happy Sad Confused podcast, Nolan said: “I went through a phase where I was asked that a lot, I think it was [producer] Emma Thomas who pointed out the correct answer, which is [DiCaprio’s] character. The point of the shot is the character doesn’t care at that point. There is a nihilistic view of that ending, right? But also, he’s moved on and he’s with his kids. The ambiguity is not an emotional ambiguity, it is an intellectual one for the audience.”
So that explains it. Well, sort of.
