Inception remains one of the most talked-about movies of the 2010s, and a lot of that has to do with the movie’s unforgettable ending. Christopher Nolan was already riding high on the success of The Dark Knight, but he cemented himself as one of the biggest directors in Hollywood with his wholly original movie that blended sci-fi and heist movie elements while taking audiences into the mind-bending and surreal world of dreams. Inception became a mᴀssive success with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 87% and $839 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
15 years later, Inception is still a standout entry in Nolan’s impressive filmography, with a number of fans calling it his best work to date. It is also a movie that fans can continue to dive deep into, as Inception‘s multiple dream levels and complex rules make for a great movie to watch more than once to gain a better understanding of it all. However, it is Inception’s ending that continues to draw discussion and speculation among fans, furthering the movie’s popularity.
Inception’s Spinning Totem Is Arguably The Most Memorable Final SH๏τ In A 2010s Movie
Nolan’s Cut To Black Is An Iconic Movie Moment
While ambiguous endings to movies are not always a hit with audiences, the spinning totem at the end of Inception managed to thrill fans while leaving questions in its wake. Inception‘s ending finds Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) seemingly having succeeded in his inception mission and being allowed to return to the United States to reunite with his children. When he gets home, he spins his top — his test to see if he is in the real world or still dreaming — only for the camera to linger on the spinning top and cut to black before revealing if it stops.
In terms of a final sH๏τ in a 2010s movie, Inception is largely unchallenged, setting an impossible standard from the beginning.
The 2010s were a decade filled with memorable movie endings, including ones that struck that chord of ambiguity and satisfaction, like Black Swan and Whiplash. There are also those conclusions from this era that completely challenged audience expectations, like La La Land and Avengers: Infinity War. However, in terms of a final sH๏τ in a 2010s movie, Inception is largely unchallenged, setting an impossible standard from the beginning.
It is a final sH๏τ that is perfectly designed to have a huge impact on audiences. The spinning top draws the viewer in, so they look at nothing but this object. So much depends on whether it keeps spinning or falls, and the audience is left willing it to fall. I remember being so fixated on the top that the final cut to black actually gave me a chance to breathe. Just the image of the top from the movie can elicit so many thoughts, emotions, and theories from the minds of Inception fans.
Why Inception’s Ending Still Invites Intrigue & Speculation Today
Fans Still Debate Whether The Ending Is A Dream Or Not
With Christopher Nolan cutting to black rather than giving audiences a final answer, the ending of Inception clearly invites a lot of theories. Countless fans will pᴀssionately argue that the top wavers slightly before the cut to black, indicating that it is going to fall and that Cobb isn’t dreaming. However, just as many fans are willing to point out all the clues that suggest those final moments are still a dream.
Fans have pointed out that no one speaks after Cobb wakes up and right up until the ending, a strange detail, while also suggesting it was too easy for him in the end. There has also been talk of Cobb’s children, with some arguing that they look the same as they did in flashbacks, implying they haven’t aged, while others say they are noticeably older.
When Cobb spins the top at the end of Inception, the audience knows what it means and is invested in the implications it has for Cobb’s story.
Of course, many also argue that Cobb doesn’t care anymore about his totem, showing that he has accepted the world in which he is with his kids, regardless of whether it’s real. All of these ongoing discussions are made possible because of the world Nolan built. Inception is filled with complex ideas that blur the lines between reality and dreams, yet present them in a way that audiences can buy into.
Nolan weaves this story and world and populates it not just with big ideas but with complex characters as well. Therefore, when Cobb spins the top at the end of Inception, the audience knows what it means and is invested in the implications it has for Cobb’s story. The cut to black doesn’t leave the audience lacking a clear answer but rather prompts them to search for their own.
