I Have It Under Control: The Top 5 Scenes In Inception

Having seen the film twice, I think it’s safe to say that almost every scene in Inception is exceptionally well done. There really aren’t any scenes that feel clumsy, unnecessary or poorly constructed. That being said, there are a few scenes that really do stand out. Scenes that are just crafted so perfectly, you can watch them over and over and never tire of them. Here are five scenes from Inception that are truly remarkable. (There are spoilers in this article so if you haven’t seen the film you may want to hold off on reading this)

1) Zero Gravity Scene

Reminiscent of the lobby scene in The Matrix, the zero gravity scene in Inception is one of the most exciting scenes I’ve seen in a very long time. The scene sees Arthur (played by Joseph Gordon Levitt) floating around in a hotel that is currently experiencing a zero gravity atmosphere. The lack of gravity is due to the van on level one that is currently in free fall.

According to the rules of Inception, whatever happens on the dream level above seeps through to the level below. Arthur is the only one awake on the hotel level at this time and therefore, only he experiences the feeling of no gravity.

As Arthur fights off his adversaries, what we are seeing on screen can be described only as a dazzling array of stunt work and choreography. Arthur floats up and down through the hallway as he fends off enemies and desperately tries to figure out how to deliver a kick to his teammates.

As Arthur moves the team through the hallway and towards the elevator, we as the audience are kept in suspense as editor Lee Smith cuts the hotel level together with the snow fortress level. Things get even more mind bending as Arthur climbs around the elevator shaft while he tries to set up his ingenious idea for a kick.

The whole scene is completely wild. It’s very well done and doesn’t look corny or fake at all. The physics look real and I don’t think I’ve ever seen zero gravity handled better in a film. It’s exciting, interesting and one of the more ambitious scenes in the film.

2) Cobb Comes Home

In what is easily the most moving scene of the film, we finally see Cobb returning home to his children. Whether it’s a dream or not doesn’t really matter. Cobb has waited for this moment for far too long and to see him finally reunited with his children is truly touching.

As Cobb awakes on the plane we see him with a look of shock on his face. He looks around at his teammates and despite our best efforts, we as the audience can’t get any information from their facial expressions. Did they succeed? Are they still dreaming? Was it just one big dream all along? Perhaps we will never know, but what’s important is that Cobb has made it home.

Hans Zimmer’s song ‘Time’ starts to play and as Cobb walks through the airport we can’t help but to feel happy for him. There are very few words spoken in the scene but Zimmer’s score does all the talking we need. It’s a triumphant and moving piece of music and greatly enhances the scene.

When Cobb finally gets home and his kids come running to him, you may be struggling to hold back tears, it’s undeniably moving. As Cobb spins the top and walks away, we know that whether it’s a dream or reality, in the end it doesn’t matter. Cobb is finally reunited with his kids. His journey is over, his mind is at peace and he can finally move on. It provides for a beautiful ending that will truly stay with you for a while.

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