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| Figure 1- Inception Poster (2010) |
The entirety of Inception is based around breaking in and out of reality, through dreams where there is no real concept of time or space, making it appear to follow a non-linear timeline. A feature of a postmodern film is that they do not tend to follow a linear timeline or a traditional narrative structure. Within Inception itself there is an inception of dreams, layers and layers of dreams within a dream- this is part of what makes it so confusing, and what makes it indistinguishable at times to an audience, we never know where reality truly lies. This form of storytelling is disorientating by not following the typical storytelling narrative. Inception follows something more like: '[it] interrupts one storyline to take over another, and another, and another, and possibly goes back to the first one or alternatively any other one.' (Degli-Espoti. Pg.7) This is a postmodern outlook onto film, an outlook where a film does not simply have to follow from a to b. The film also then goes on to finish on an intentional cliffhanger, not allowing that audience to ever know the truth about what happens to Cobb. This is also not a traditional thing to do within a film if anything it could be considered a postmodern film feature. 'By not allowing good to triumph over evil in the last reel, filmmakers are engaging in a literally demoralized, postmodernist view of the world that denies a vital element of what cinema should be all about: catharsis.' (Roberts, A. 2017).
Another postmodern feature in Inception is the intertextuality. 'Postmodern media texts generally speak to viewers as subjects who are in the know about codes and conventions of representation and simulation' (Cartwright and Struken) this relates to the use of the Penrose stairs within the film. The Penrose stairs were an original painting by Escher, an impossible illusion that was carefully crafted to be used within Inception as a perfect example that almost anyone can understand, that anything is possible when you're dreaming. Intertextuality often references general knowledge or things a viewer should typically be aware of, which runs throughout the film.
There is also the general hyperreality aspect of the film. Similar to the way the film follows a non-linear path, it has a similar postmodern outlook within the feeling of reality. Time and physics no longer exist once someone has entered a dream. Aside from this being a difficult concept to grasp for an audience, viewing it allows a viewer to be blinded from reality. Inception completely goes against the normalities that are 'reality' as we know it, there is no clear line of reality within the film. The idea of reality is difficult for the characters as well as the audience, making it feel even more complex, they can't even always distinguish the truth- which is why they each have their own 'totem', to help them figure out the real or the dream.
In conclusion, Inception has several elements that allow it to be viewed as a postmodern film. This includes the blurry mix of reality and dreamworlds, dreams within dreams, making the film appear non-linear, hyperreality and the intertextuality.
Bibliography:
Cartwright and Strucken- Postmodernism, Indie Media, and Popular Culture [PDF]
Degli-Espoti- Postmodernism in the Cinema’, Berghahn Books, (1998)
Roberts, A.- Enough With the Cliffhangers! Movies Need a Cathartic Conclusion [Online] Accessed: https://www.thedailybeast.com/enough-with-the-cliffhangers-movies-need-a-cathartic-conclusion
Illustrations: Figure 1- Inception Poster (2010) At: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/mediaviewer/rm3426651392
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