Inception: Movie Review


Assalamualaikum,

I must thank Mrs. Huy for mentioning about Inception to me. I am not Mr. DiCaprio's fan after Titanic -- hate his hair in Man in the Iron Mask -- while she is so fond of him. Her excitement leads me to do my research on the movie and luckily I love what I found. So here's what I think about Inception [while it already swept every movie lover and Rotten Tomatoes rate it 86%].

First of all, I'd like to say that I love this movie so much. I enjoy it even though I missed few minutes of the beginning [an obvious reason to watch it again]. Most of it because I am a Cognitive Science graduates and the idea of subconscious mind security thrilled me. The other was just me loving this kind of genre -- movie that gives other headache. So it was fun!

I think Inception was still too simple for something as mysterious as our subconscious mind. The idea of having a physical device to invade / share dream was not captivating to me. I did not see the connection of the device with the existence of dreams -- the device was attached to physical body, i.e.: wrist for in this movie, but dream is an activity happen in the brain. [I am hearing Dr. Tan's question: "what is your argument that dreams really happen and that it even happen in the brain" -- Philosophy of the Mind's class] The use of chemical cocktail was acceptable; a good base actually. Being unconscious would definitely helps a lot when you are manipulating subconscious mind.

Ariadne's training with Cobb and Arthur. [Ariadne, even her name is significant. Google it!]

The idea of creating dreams and then influencing subconscious mind through it works for me. I always believe that the best way to influence a mind is when the mind did not realized what's being injected into it. Traditionally, the world of psychology used hypnosis, or brainwash to the extreme. The more you know about your mind subject, the more vulnerable it becomes. All you have to do is say the right thing at the right time and you'll have an open door before you. But, Cobb advised Ariadne not to create something from the mind's memory. He have a point when sometimes certain memories could awake the unconscious mind :D

The best part is, Inception did consider the mind's response towards invasion and the fact that mind can defend herself. The first example would be when Cobb's mind reacted to Ariadne's architecture that was built from his memories. That was how the mind awakens and most of the time by a very significant memories such as sadness and happiness. Fischer's mind on the other hand not just response to Cobb and his team, he also defenses himself by fighting back. This is the situation where hypnosis failed. They mention that Fischer most probably was well trained in mind security. That was another interesting detail -- it is a learn skill, after all.

"You create the world of the dream. We bring the subject into that dream and fill it with their subconscious. (...) See dreams, they feel real while we're in them right? It's only when we wake up then we realize that something was actually strange! (...) You never really remember the beginning of the dream, do you? You always wind up right in the middle of what's going on."

Mal's reminiscence in Cobb's mind.

We all store our memories in various ways. For me, I see my memories stored in boxes and behind doors. For Cobb, his memories of Mal stored in levels accessible by elevator. I was fond with the idea that Cobb trapped Mal in those levels and how Mal could have the ability to sabotage Cobb's mind. I am not sure how my unwanted memories were stored, I just know they are there, trapped somewhere somehow.

"She locked away a secret, deep inside herself, something she once knew to be true... but chose to forget", said Cobb referring to how Mal was too fascinated with their dream world. We all locked something inside ourselves and some of us did live inside that world they believe to be true.

The 3 layers dream during the Inception.

The idea was complicated -- it gave me mild headache and a pounding heart -- and amazing. Again, my mind can't digest the appropriateness of the device. If the existence of dream is questionable, it was impossible to 'carry' the device into two layers of dream, wouldn't it? But if I see and think this on the other way -- it is possible if the team register the device, how it function and it significance in their mind, then mind could make it real in its own environment. [I sound like a mad psychologist]

Cobb, Mal, the kids and the ending.

"What's the most resilient parasite? An Idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules. Which is why I have to steal it."

Cobb's confession over the inception he did to Mal explains a lot of thing -- why Mal's reminiscence appear to be revengeful and always sabotaging Cobb. I was confuse why Cobb have that kind of memories about the one woman he loved. It was all Cobb's guilt -- the inception she did to Mal that saved her from the limbo world and then turns out to be what's killing her. Without realizing it, the audience was brought into a guilt mind. The scene where Cobb let Mal go was as heartbreaking as when Cobb hold on to it.

The faces of Cobb’s kids were never showed during the movie. So I cried when Cobb finally got to see their faces. There were arguments whether Cobb really awake or still stuck in another dream. He spins his totem but did not wait to be sure whether he is still dreaming or not -- distracted by the rush of emotion. I don't care. If in dream they got to be together, then Cobb might as well live in there.

Congratulations to Mr. Nolan for having courage to write and for making this movie happen. Inception is next to A Beautiful Mind and I have to say that I am among mind-people that could love Nolan for Inception. It was an overwhelming experience to see how he brought subconscious mind to screen. To say that he was 100% right would be unrealistic, though. But Nolan got the general idea, yes.

Two thumbs up for Mr. DiCaprio. He played Cobb well. I guess Mrs. Huy was right, DiCaprio is a good actor and he is capable of bringing the character to life. He manage to put himself as an Extractor, a husband who love and lost his wife to what he is good at and a father who misses his children. He awed the audience with his skill and break hearts in his memories of Mal and his kids. Arthur played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt is another character I love. I just love him, for being Arthur. No other reason.

In Cognitive Science, I learnt that a mind works mostly similar to a computer -- intellectual abilities did not falls under this theory. Meaning, as long as you know what you need to do, what you are doing and where to find it, the 10% of your brain could be more than enough.

Learn about your mind and be in control.
Wassalam.

Comments

seriously 'aini, I am still high after watching the movie last night. Simply brilliant! The whole movie was a masterpiece. I am still overwhelmed by the idea of making things real in the mind without adhering to physical laws.
n bole terangkn skit psl intellectual ability does not involve the mind? maksudnya anyone has the potential to be geniuses?
'Aini said…
intellectual and mind.. oh i can write an essay abt it. not to say tht intellectual doesn't involve mind, juz tht the argument was on whether mind exist. hahaha. but of course, like i said, mind is mostly similar to a PC; except its intellectual. no PC can mimic Allah's gift to us kan. and yes, everybody have the potential to be a genius. last time i check, there were 16 intelligences. u r consider bodily kinesthetic genius when u r good in dancing.. stuff like tht..
this is really a superb movie. even better than a beautiful mind.
Azra said…
hahaha...I'm not a psychology student, reading this review is enough to make my head go boom!! I can't imagine what watching the film would make my brain do, huhu.
'Aini said…
Takpe kak.. saya nih pon kena mild migrain gak tgk cte nih.. but it was definitely coooolllll~
nurul said…
the fact that they were almost totally in control of their own subconscious minds in that movie. I mean, betapa susahnya nak buat semua tu...but i hope that this movie is an eye opener to those out there la...eheheheh
'Aini said…
tu lah.. mmg rs "wow" btol! kagums~

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