If you have not watched Inception, don’t read this post. There are movie spoilers. For those who have watched it, read on.

The importance of the spinning top at the end of the film is a matter of debate. Some people say the spinning top symbolises that Cobb meeting up with his kids is also a dream (he should have waited for the top to fall before assuming that he is in the real world). Others say, it was real as in the end just before the credits, the top starts wobbling (and is thus about to fall). That debate is not the subject of this post.

What I want to point out is the link between Inception and the Matrix.

Was Inception the prequel to the Matrix movies? Why do I think so? Read on.

The major character that links both the movies, is of course Cobb. My theory? Cobb (of Inception) is the Architect (of the Matrix).

Sounds implausible? Not to me.

- Assume that Cobb at the end of the movie is in the real world. United with his family.
- Fast-forward 30 years into the future.
- Cobb has again started designing new worlds. He has now become the Architect.
- Inception is now common knowledge.
- Rogue specialists have mastered the art of inserting ideas into people’s dreams and are now called Agents.
- Enter Neo.
- At some point in the movie, Neo meets the Architect.
- And there lies the link between the two movies.

Sure they may be flaws in the above logic. Would be glad if someone points them out.

Back from an examination paper which didn’t go too well (what’s new?) So I should most likely be in a mood to unleash my sarcasm on someone. The most likely candidate this time around is the new kid on the block, KRK. I’m sure you’ve heard of him, or seen the movie trailers doing the rounds on TV these days. He is the hero of the new film Desh Drohi which seeks to send a message of brotherhood and harmony across the nation. And no, its not about LOC or Indo-Pak relations, but about the feud between the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the northern states.

For once I won’t ridicule anyone. Reasons, political and otherwise, forbid me to do it and I do not wish to turn this into a sarcastic free-for-all. Some say it is a movie worth going to, because it teaches about the importance of being together in these troubled times. Some say the movie is not worth a review. Is KRK a replacement to SRK? Who know, but all said and done, in the eternal words of Jugad Singh, Aadmi sachha lagta hai. (Wish the placement season would be as simple as this)

My friends say there is no comparison between SRK and KRK. But isn’t that what people said when SRK came into the scene? SRK vs Amitabh? KRK vs SRK? As Einstein put it, its all relative. He has a long way to go and so here’s wishing the fellow all the best in Bollywood. We come in peace.

Rather than me writing a half-baked review on the movie, I’ll quote an amazing paragraph I read in IMDB’s message board. To realize what this movie represents beyond the individual characters is further mind-blowing.

“At the risk of oversimplifying things…I think it’s helpful to look at the film as an intricately woven metaphor spun from an everyday “snapshot” of what’s going in the world to guarantee American access for oil. The brilliance in the film, for me at least, is in the totality of that snapshot; it captures everything, good bad and indifferent.

The characters aren’t so much driven by themselves, rather they are what they represent. For instance, Christopher Plummer’s character, beyond whoever-the-hell he’s credited as playing, is America. George Clooney’s role, beyond “Bob,” is that of the “intelligence community” in America.

Matt Damon, beyond the energy consultant, is the well-intentioned, market-economy in America. Matt Damon’s wife is everyone who’s just trying to get by and be happy in America. Together, they sort of represent “the people” of America, and their child who dies in the pool is the American G.I., the people’s sons and daughters, caught up in something completely out of their control, yet still paying the ultimate price just for being there.

Everyone’s character, all the way through, even down to the African man who tries in vain to get on the elevator with Damon, Clooney and “the good prince” (can’t remember the actor or his character’s name), represents something else. And it makes film insanely good.

Just that small elevator scene speaks volumes because in that snapshot, you see America’s treatment of the problems in Africa. You’ve got the American business community (Damon) and the American intelligence community (Clooney) all too busy focusing on the Middle East (the Prince) to notice, or care, that Africa is being neglected and left out. It’s just a moment in the film, but so, so powerful.

And that’s really what the whole movie is. Just a big, smart [metaphor] with everyone playing a part.”

Thanks ben_m_hall, wherever you are.