(Spoilers, obviously)
"With no power comes no responsibility." ~ Kick-Ass[ Parent ]
I think that as with the discussion of Bad Lieutenant, the problem with it's-all-a-dream or Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge he's-dead endings is that they're clichés by now. Fans leap at them, but the better writers and directors are bored by them.--Truth is not always interesting. Many things are believed because they are interesting; although, in fact, there is little other evidence in their favour.
The tension of the movie depends on the way that if you're in a solo dream, your own mind can't create deep, fulfilling relationships with the simulated characters, since they're not individuals in their own mind.
So, first it's hugely arrogant if the motto is ...unless you're me, Christopher Nolan, 'cos I'm just so fantastic my fantasies are as rich as reality itself.
Second, with the two possibilities I mentioned, either the success or failure is a big deal, but only if reality is a higher and better state than a dream.
If he succeeded, he's back with his real family, his real kids are back with him, and he's escaped from his unhealthy relationship with the dream-Mal into the real world. If he failed, then he's trapped in an unreal, stale Limbo for eternity and is going to be slowly driven insane by his isolation.
But if reality is no better or worse than a dream, then the journey from one to the other is dramatically meaningless. If he's succeeded and gone from dream to reality: it's no big deal. If he's failed and gone from reality to dream: that's no big deal either. --Truth is not always interesting. Many things are believed because they are interesting; although, in fact, there is little other evidence in their favour.[ Parent ]
I just don't see why after that big emotional moment "he doesn't care if the top stops at the end". If he doesn't care about what's real anymore, he might as well have stayed with the Limbo-kids.
Every time he comes out of a dream he spins the top at an early opportunity: in the hotel room after the initial heist for instance. I think he just did the same thing this time, but got distracted by the sight of his kids.--Truth is not always interesting. Many things are believed because they are interesting; although, in fact, there is little other evidence in their favour.[ Parent ]
