Analyzing Inception: An Interplay of Cinematic Techniques and Theories

After the completion of my reading, I proceeded in trying to identify relevant theories which can explain my interpretations and reactions to the film Inception. Theories from an array of theorist such as, Freud, Coleridge, Booth, Fish, Franz, Iser and Jauss were implemented in my analysis.
As I have mentioned before, the cinematic technique used by Christopher Noland in Inception made the film seemed disjointed and in-cohesive. Furthermore, there are contradictions and paradoxes which made following the plot very difficult. Initially, I questioned my own comprehensive ability, but later I established that the problem lied not with me but with the film. This phenomenon can be best explained by Freud’s psychological criticism – transference.

But another reason as to why I disregarded Mal’s proposal of her version of the real reality, in favour of Cobb’s is because I belong in an interpretive community (conceptualised by Stanley Fish), which conceives words from people who are mentally dissociative as absurdness and rubbish. Although in the first place, there were no medical evidences anywhere within the movie which stated that Mal was mentally dissociative, yet I conceived her to be one due to influences from Cobb’s attitude and from other visual clues. This can be justified by Marie-Louis Von Franz’s archetypal literary theory where an interpretation of a text is based on recurring cultural and mythical archetypes (Gray, 1996). The archetype for mentally dissociative people involves shouting, making irrational decisions and destruction of properties, all which fits Mal’s description. Therefore, my immediate impression of Mal is that she is crazy. Fish’s interpretive community, Marie-Louis Von Franz’s archetypal literary theory and Wolfgang Iser’s Invited readings all interrelate and complement each other so well. Invited readings are facilitated by archetypal literary theory, and an assembly of archetypal literary theory makes an interpretive community.
As I have stated in my reading, I had high expectations for this film, and I continued to watch under the impression that Inception would facilitate greater insights into some of the mysteries of the human brain. However, this was not the case. My presumption can be explained by Jauss’ horizon of expectation. Conventional science fiction movies are generally based on real research and contain some sort of scientific breakthrough. This led me to believe that a big movie franchise such as inception would also contain impressive novel