Neo meet Cobb, Cobb meet Neo. Nietzsche meet Jung, Jung meet Nietzsche. Computer-simulated reality called The Matrix meet an undefined box that inexplicably causes one to enter another person’s subconscious dreamscape. There; that about sums up the underlining relationship between Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending Inception and the Wachowski brothers’ wildly popular The Matrix. Still, many critics have been quick to point out the apparent influence The Matrix must have had on the making of Inception. While it is true that some of the computer-generated fight scenes in Inception displayed some visual similarities to those of The Matrix, the way in which these two films handled their comparable philosophical ideas are profoundly different.
The Matrix dealt with a world of sentient computers that, when used by a person’s own imagination and energy source, had a way of enabling their subjects to control a simulated world with their minds. In Inception, substitute these computers with an enigmatic box that, when wired up to a group of people, can inject each individual’s subconscious dreamscape into each other’s minds. Thus, both films plunge into a philosophical reflection of perception and its inevitable power to alter one’s reality. However, such thought-provoking subject material was handled in a much more black and white manner in The Matrix. Here, reality (albeit a futuristic one) was presented as its own entity, while the simulated world existed as a distinct experience. The two contrasting states of being would then only coincide with one another when the film’s characters had affixed the sentient computers to their minds. Even though Inception uses a like-mannered device to enter its altered world, the lines between dream state and reality are blurred to such an artful degree that when the credits roll one can not legitimately discern if reality had any part to play in the movie whatsoever.
Inception may not end up being as popular as The Matrix, but when all is said and done the former will stand tall as a profoundly more superior work of art than its predecessor could ever have dreamed of being.
Everyone on this website who defends Inception just says "Leonardo Dicaprio > Keanu Reeves" if you want to suck Mr. Dicaprio's dick so badly then go for it but the Matrix was, without a doubt, the better movie for me. Why? I saw the Matrix for the first time in 2011 (I know, don't blame me I was only nine years old when it actually came out for the bigscreen) but after seeing the Matrix I've seen it again about ten times just because it's an amazing movie and it discusses whether this world that I live in is real or if it's just a simulated reality. The Matrix makes you think: why do you work? Why do you go to church? Why do you have a religion? Who puts these thoughts into your head and why do they want to keep you under control? Why are they so afraid of your rebellion? Inception, as D said before, is just another Hollywood mindfuck that no one will remember ten years from now while The Matrix, it has been more than a decade since it came out and it is still known by most people whether they like the film or not. Plus, dont even get me started with what was wrong with Inception's ending: the topple spinning and they dont show you whether it stops spinning (reality) or whether it spins forever (dream). Inception did not even have a proper ending to it. After I saw that ending I was just pissed. It's a mindfuck. Anyone who says that Inception is better than The Matrix just wants to "sound smart" while people who know the truth that The Matrix is by far a superior and extremely explained idea are actually smart. To those who defended The Matrix, thank you and your help will be appreciated, to those that are Inception fanboys enjoy eating DiFuckyou's dick. Nigga please, Keanu Reeves may not be an amazing actor but at least he played Neo's part perfectly while Dicaprio is just a pretty boy (Titanic) now trying to look tough (Departed, Blood Diamond, Inception). HAVE A NICE DAY, I HOPE YOU ENJOY LIVING IN THE MATRIX! LOLLLLLLLLZZZZ!
I haven't seen The Matrix but somehow when I was about half way through Inception I got to thinking - 'Why is this film so popular?' and it reminded me of the time when everyone was so blown out about The Matrix.
I don't know whether I would be impressed by The Matrix if I happened to see it, but I certainly wasn't impressed with Inception.
I felt that in Inception they packed in a lot of "action" to make up for the fact that the plot/concept was not very impressive at all - An image within an image within an image ...
The 'Special Effects' were somewhat cool, but it's all been done before.
I thought about watching it again to see whether I would be more impressed the second time around, but I doubt I will bother.
But to be fair, in The Matrix they are entering a "simulated world". In Inception, the characters simply enter the plane of their "collective unconsciousness". In layman's terms - one is a virtual reality, the other is a dream-scape. I know that's a flat argument, but a lot of the contrasts (both thematically and otherwise) between the two films like in defining these two aspects of reality. And of course, finally contrasting both with reality itself. If there is such a thing.
I am sure Wachowski brothers had "at least" studied about "plains of existence" and other philosophical concepts before writing such a unique story, unlike Nolan who has mixed his own "personal" ideas - which he claims he had at the age of 16 - with some borrowed ideas to write such a hilarious story, full of illogical contradictions! Come on! don't be fooled.
I bet many people may laugh at the ideas they had at the age of 16. The difference is that Nolan has been lucky enough to make a movie out of one of his!
I bet, pretty much like Scary Movies, you can use the "very" same ideas to make a comedy version of inception. The fundamentals of the story has serious issues which make it a "serious" and expensive comedy. Have a look at this:
- Why would you wanna go though all those challenges? Just to plant an idea into some businessman's mind? Come on! Isn't it preposterously hilarious? At least in the matrix, the goal was worth it! They were fighting to save humans. It doesn't matter if breaking down a company affects share markets or not, but for a movie, the goal should at least look worth!
How about a comedy version to plant the idea of "sleeping with a loser" into the mind of a "hot girl"?
Pretty much like what Cragmire did to Peter in one family guy episode, in which he went to Peter's dream and told him a joke for which Peter pooped the bed.
Interestingly, family guy writers seem to be more reliable in this! When Peter is waken up, he says "When you poop in your dreams...you poop for real". In Inception, if you die in a dream, you wake up!
- A Japanese guy with a phone call can drastically change the course of a murder accusation. HA HA HA. HE HE HE! Even the American government can't do that so easily! Are we still dreaming? Get serious. It just looks "funny"!
- Hey Mr Cobb! You're living in a time that technology has made such progress that you can go to other people's dreams by chemicals, not even computers! Don't you think in that time, you can get an iPhone or connect to a "network" and have a visual chat with your left-alone children?
At least, you wouldn't have to worry about "the invasion of your last moment seeing them not facing you!"
- "We die in a dream, we wake up, but not in this one". How silly! remember in the Matrix, they did all they could not to be killed in the Matrix since the event of being killed in the dream world could be propagated into the real world.
Who really knows what happens to someone's physical body if something happens to their astral, causal, mental or Etheric body in a dream!? Please have a read about it before making a movie out of your own idea.
I have some other interesting stuff about inception but for now let's just spread the idea that
"please don't compare inception with matrix",
because they can't be compared.
"Family Guy" would be a better choice to compare Inception with.
You can't just bullshit people based on the basis that "imagine technology has made enough advance to make it happen".
THE FUNNIEST THING IS THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE MIND-BLOWN BY THESE SIMPLE-MINDED FOOLISH IDEAS!
Inception is indeed a masterpiece from one point of view!
How come a writer think sophisticatedly about awareness in dreams but they couldn't think "enough" to write an "at least unfunny" story based on the idea? Not everyone can simply "burn" such complicated ideas with childish stupidity the way Nolan has done! Bravo, you're a genius!
I love both of those films to death, and each now contains one of my fav special effects scences, the mirror scene in the matrix and ENTIRE hotel sequence, due to the shifting gravity (ok myabe that counts as more the one but i dont care).
Anyway, I like the philosophy of the matrix, but the concept of inception was far better. Simulated reality controlled by others to keep humans as prisioners where escaped humans go back in with superpowers to save the people still trapped vs your subconcious having to be influenced by an outside force to achieve an outcome that benifts those trying to influence said subconcious.
Which is cooler?
The idea of inception is incredible and makes you wonder about what we can do. How we can manipulate and understand the human mind.
however, The Matrix was more of a psychological look onto what we believe and what we think is true. It raises more questions than Inception. What is real and what isn't? Are we all seeing the same thing? Is everyone around us just an illusion that we create in our head? is our life the fantasy life we created for ourselves? Do we all live in our own heads, swallowed by constant influences on our knowledge?
IMHO
In terms of cinematography, Inception won the race.
However, In terms of the ideas that the movies provoke. The Matrix was by far the better contestant.
It's a superficial comparison IMO. As pointed out by others, The Matrix deals with various philosopical issues. For example, dominant forces controlling thoughts of the subjugated works on an allegorical level as well. Just think about propaganda. That is just one of many MANY intellectual thoughts in the film. There's a lot of depth in The Matrix is all I'm trying to say. Inception deals with the real vs. imaginary more elaborately by creating dreams within dreams, and subsequently, it totally fucks with our minds. matrixes within matrixes if you will. In the end, however, there is no deeper meaning beyond the, admittedly impressive, mindfuck.
Personally I think Inception is superior to The Matrix. Both films are masterpieces, but I wasn't exactly mind-blown by The Matrix as I was by Inception. Plus, Leonardo DiCaprio > Keanu Reeves.
The Matrix had a lot more going on philisophically. Inception is an interesting and cool concept, and I'm still thinking about it a couple days later, but to me, it doesn't go all that far beyond what it is about...dream vs. reality. The Matrix blew me away...Inception had me thinking.
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The Matrix > Inception
Posted by: Mony | 01/08/2012 at 07:53 PM
Everyone on this website who defends Inception just says "Leonardo Dicaprio > Keanu Reeves" if you want to suck Mr. Dicaprio's dick so badly then go for it but the Matrix was, without a doubt, the better movie for me. Why? I saw the Matrix for the first time in 2011 (I know, don't blame me I was only nine years old when it actually came out for the bigscreen) but after seeing the Matrix I've seen it again about ten times just because it's an amazing movie and it discusses whether this world that I live in is real or if it's just a simulated reality. The Matrix makes you think: why do you work? Why do you go to church? Why do you have a religion? Who puts these thoughts into your head and why do they want to keep you under control? Why are they so afraid of your rebellion? Inception, as D said before, is just another Hollywood mindfuck that no one will remember ten years from now while The Matrix, it has been more than a decade since it came out and it is still known by most people whether they like the film or not. Plus, dont even get me started with what was wrong with Inception's ending: the topple spinning and they dont show you whether it stops spinning (reality) or whether it spins forever (dream). Inception did not even have a proper ending to it. After I saw that ending I was just pissed. It's a mindfuck. Anyone who says that Inception is better than The Matrix just wants to "sound smart" while people who know the truth that The Matrix is by far a superior and extremely explained idea are actually smart. To those who defended The Matrix, thank you and your help will be appreciated, to those that are Inception fanboys enjoy eating DiFuckyou's dick. Nigga please, Keanu Reeves may not be an amazing actor but at least he played Neo's part perfectly while Dicaprio is just a pretty boy (Titanic) now trying to look tough (Departed, Blood Diamond, Inception). HAVE A NICE DAY, I HOPE YOU ENJOY LIVING IN THE MATRIX! LOLLLLLLLLZZZZ!
Posted by: Neo | 06/28/2011 at 10:25 PM
Inception has all the good The Matrix had but with the crap parts removed (the Oracle, the One, the Prophecy).
Oh, and way superior soundtrack and lead actor. DiCaprio eats Reeves for breakfast.
Posted by: guybrush | 02/28/2011 at 07:57 AM
Inception is much matured.
Posted by: Zoru | 01/01/2011 at 12:11 AM
I haven't seen The Matrix but somehow when I was about half way through Inception I got to thinking - 'Why is this film so popular?' and it reminded me of the time when everyone was so blown out about The Matrix.
I don't know whether I would be impressed by The Matrix if I happened to see it, but I certainly wasn't impressed with Inception.
I felt that in Inception they packed in a lot of "action" to make up for the fact that the plot/concept was not very impressive at all - An image within an image within an image ...
The 'Special Effects' were somewhat cool, but it's all been done before.
I thought about watching it again to see whether I would be more impressed the second time around, but I doubt I will bother.
Posted by: Wino | 12/26/2010 at 06:25 AM
But to be fair, in The Matrix they are entering a "simulated world". In Inception, the characters simply enter the plane of their "collective unconsciousness". In layman's terms - one is a virtual reality, the other is a dream-scape. I know that's a flat argument, but a lot of the contrasts (both thematically and otherwise) between the two films like in defining these two aspects of reality. And of course, finally contrasting both with reality itself. If there is such a thing.
Posted by: Nave Torment | 12/10/2010 at 05:31 PM
I am sure Wachowski brothers had "at least" studied about "plains of existence" and other philosophical concepts before writing such a unique story, unlike Nolan who has mixed his own "personal" ideas - which he claims he had at the age of 16 - with some borrowed ideas to write such a hilarious story, full of illogical contradictions! Come on! don't be fooled.
I bet many people may laugh at the ideas they had at the age of 16. The difference is that Nolan has been lucky enough to make a movie out of one of his!
I bet, pretty much like Scary Movies, you can use the "very" same ideas to make a comedy version of inception. The fundamentals of the story has serious issues which make it a "serious" and expensive comedy. Have a look at this:
- Why would you wanna go though all those challenges? Just to plant an idea into some businessman's mind? Come on! Isn't it preposterously hilarious? At least in the matrix, the goal was worth it! They were fighting to save humans. It doesn't matter if breaking down a company affects share markets or not, but for a movie, the goal should at least look worth!
How about a comedy version to plant the idea of "sleeping with a loser" into the mind of a "hot girl"?
Pretty much like what Cragmire did to Peter in one family guy episode, in which he went to Peter's dream and told him a joke for which Peter pooped the bed.
Interestingly, family guy writers seem to be more reliable in this! When Peter is waken up, he says "When you poop in your dreams...you poop for real". In Inception, if you die in a dream, you wake up!
- A Japanese guy with a phone call can drastically change the course of a murder accusation. HA HA HA. HE HE HE! Even the American government can't do that so easily! Are we still dreaming? Get serious. It just looks "funny"!
- Hey Mr Cobb! You're living in a time that technology has made such progress that you can go to other people's dreams by chemicals, not even computers! Don't you think in that time, you can get an iPhone or connect to a "network" and have a visual chat with your left-alone children?
At least, you wouldn't have to worry about "the invasion of your last moment seeing them not facing you!"
- "We die in a dream, we wake up, but not in this one". How silly! remember in the Matrix, they did all they could not to be killed in the Matrix since the event of being killed in the dream world could be propagated into the real world.
Who really knows what happens to someone's physical body if something happens to their astral, causal, mental or Etheric body in a dream!? Please have a read about it before making a movie out of your own idea.
I have some other interesting stuff about inception but for now let's just spread the idea that
"please don't compare inception with matrix",
because they can't be compared.
"Family Guy" would be a better choice to compare Inception with.
You can't just bullshit people based on the basis that "imagine technology has made enough advance to make it happen".
THE FUNNIEST THING IS THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE MIND-BLOWN BY THESE SIMPLE-MINDED FOOLISH IDEAS!
Inception is indeed a masterpiece from one point of view!
How come a writer think sophisticatedly about awareness in dreams but they couldn't think "enough" to write an "at least unfunny" story based on the idea? Not everyone can simply "burn" such complicated ideas with childish stupidity the way Nolan has done! Bravo, you're a genius!
Posted by: A Viewer | 12/09/2010 at 08:48 PM
I love both of those films to death, and each now contains one of my fav special effects scences, the mirror scene in the matrix and ENTIRE hotel sequence, due to the shifting gravity (ok myabe that counts as more the one but i dont care).
Anyway, I like the philosophy of the matrix, but the concept of inception was far better. Simulated reality controlled by others to keep humans as prisioners where escaped humans go back in with superpowers to save the people still trapped vs your subconcious having to be influenced by an outside force to achieve an outcome that benifts those trying to influence said subconcious.
Which is cooler?
Posted by: Jamason | 11/07/2010 at 01:48 AM
The idea of inception is incredible and makes you wonder about what we can do. How we can manipulate and understand the human mind.
however, The Matrix was more of a psychological look onto what we believe and what we think is true. It raises more questions than Inception. What is real and what isn't? Are we all seeing the same thing? Is everyone around us just an illusion that we create in our head? is our life the fantasy life we created for ourselves? Do we all live in our own heads, swallowed by constant influences on our knowledge?
IMHO
In terms of cinematography, Inception won the race.
However, In terms of the ideas that the movies provoke. The Matrix was by far the better contestant.
Posted by: Mitchell | 09/04/2010 at 04:13 PM
Inception is a great idea but it could have been executed better.The matrix was a great idea and it was executed superbly.
Posted by: Ashish | 08/07/2010 at 02:18 AM
It's a superficial comparison IMO. As pointed out by others, The Matrix deals with various philosopical issues. For example, dominant forces controlling thoughts of the subjugated works on an allegorical level as well. Just think about propaganda. That is just one of many MANY intellectual thoughts in the film. There's a lot of depth in The Matrix is all I'm trying to say. Inception deals with the real vs. imaginary more elaborately by creating dreams within dreams, and subsequently, it totally fucks with our minds. matrixes within matrixes if you will. In the end, however, there is no deeper meaning beyond the, admittedly impressive, mindfuck.
Posted by: D. | 07/30/2010 at 05:53 PM
Inception is no matrix. No comparison. Matrix - the story was very well told
Posted by: handydandy | 07/30/2010 at 03:01 AM
Personally I think Inception is superior to The Matrix. Both films are masterpieces, but I wasn't exactly mind-blown by The Matrix as I was by Inception. Plus, Leonardo DiCaprio > Keanu Reeves.
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/21/2010 at 04:23 PM
The Matrix had a lot more going on philisophically. Inception is an interesting and cool concept, and I'm still thinking about it a couple days later, but to me, it doesn't go all that far beyond what it is about...dream vs. reality. The Matrix blew me away...Inception had me thinking.
Posted by: Hunter | 07/21/2010 at 12:31 PM
Matrix blew sickly chunks. I haven't yet seen Inception, but it's probably safe to assume that it's better than that Keannu Reeves disgrace.
Posted by: P. Grant | 07/21/2010 at 10:49 AM
A more appropriate comparisson would be Inception and Bladerunner IMHO
Posted by: Raventroll | 07/21/2010 at 09:38 AM
Inception is like Matrix + Paprika. I would know, because I saw it.
Posted by: me | 07/20/2010 at 06:54 PM
i loved Matrix but Inception was crazy. Definitely better!
Posted by: Lolia | 07/20/2010 at 06:44 PM
Inception > The Matrix
Posted by: Nolan | 07/20/2010 at 03:20 PM