Inception

We left the cinema exhausted, exhilerated and wondering.  Inception is a movie that packs a punch and leaves you thinking.  One critic described it as a doctoral level version of the Matrix.

I won't risk spoiling the movie, or take excessive space on this post, by trying to outline the complex plot of Inception.  Suffice to say it is an action thriller that mixes dreams with reality.  It is a bit like James Bond meets the Matrix, with some emotional moments built in.

Some themes and discussion starters:
One of the characters is "The Architect" who has the job of creating the world of the dreamers.  Makes one think of the Architect of the real world, and how our imaginative, creative ability reflects that of our Creator.

At several points in the movie characters are asked to "take a leap of faith".  What is a leap of faith?  How much evidence should we require.  Sadly the movie also contains a leap of faith which leads to tragedy because the character's faith was misplaced.  Freedom to believe something that isn't true is not some kind of postmodern tolerance, it is the tragedy of delusion.

Guilt for past mistakes racks Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio's character).  Ariadne (played by Ellen Page) urges him to find forgiveness and let that go because it is threatening the whole team.  In the dream level his subconscious emotions have real effects.  Isn't that also true at reality level?  The plot of the movie includes an opportunity of redemption for Cobb.

Layers upon layers of dreams leave cast and audience wondering what is real.  That is a very good question to be asking.  People sometimes contrast the walk of faith with "the real world".  The implication is that someone who believes in a miracle working God isn't living in the real world.  But I think the key question to ask is, what is ultimate reality?  I would argue that the ultimate reality all humans must grapple with is that Jesus died, but Jesus rose again from the dead.  Can that happen you might wonder?  Is that real?  The testimony of Jesus followers is that it did happen.  Over the centuries Christians are those who have discovered the reality of the resurrection.

Not a movie for everyone, but more thoughtprovoking than any action thriller I've seen for a long time.

Martin.