Inception Opening Scene Analysis

Inception is an action/adventure thriller featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy. In the opening sequence you meet Leonardo DiCaprio's character Dom Cobb.

In the beginning of the scene you see an ocean with waves splashing against a rocks, the camera pans to the left to another rock with the waves splashing against it, this scene lasts about 9 seconds before cutting to another shot of the ocean waves, after this 3 second shot it cuts to a close up of Cobb lying on the beach with the waves hitting him, this shot lasts 5 seconds before cutting to a out of focus, slow motion shot of a boy playing in the sand. It then cuts back to him in a extreme close up shot while he lifts his head up out of the water, after this 4 second shot it cuts to a mid-range shot of two children playing on the beach in slow motion with them talking, it will then cut again to Cobb lying on the floor looking up then back to the children playing in slow motion for about 2 seconds then an extreme close up of Cobb putting his head back into the water then a cut to a over the should shot of a man with a gun poking Cobb in the back to see if he is alive, it then cuts to show a man in a uniform with the sun behind him, in this mid shot the man moves his head so that the sun is blocked out and you can see his face, it will then cut to a close up of the gun moving Cobb's jacket to reveal the gun wedged in his back pocket then a cut back to the man shouting to another man up on the rocks, in this long shot we see then man turn around and run towards the building that is showing in the shot.

A cut is used to show inside a room from a doorway with dialogue of a man who is in the room, the camera zooms in closer as the dialogue continues, the camera then cuts to a mid-range shot of the back of a mans head who is sitting at a table. another man possibly a guard then walks into the shot placing items onto a table, an extreme close up is shown of the man placing an item onto a table, it then cuts to another mid-range shot of the back of a man's head to show him turn his head slightly. A cut is used to show a mid-range shot of the guards dragging Cobb into the room, in this shot you can hear the rattling of the chains as he is dragged across the room. It then cuts to a close up of a reflection of the table then panning upwards to show Cobb sitting at the table eating. An over the shoulder shot is used after this scene to show the distance between him and the man at the other end of the table, once the dialogue begins it goes from being on focus on Cobb to then pushing forward to the man at the end of the table. It then cuts to a close up of Cobb after he had stopped eating then a cut to an extreme close up of the man putting his hand on the gun then moving it to pick up the spinner next to the gun, more dialogue begins as the camera pans upwards to the man then a cut to a long shot of him at the table then spin the spinner as the dialogue and background ambient music continues, after this shot that was about 7 seconds long it goes to a close up shot of the spinner on the table which lasts for about 3 seconds before cutting to a close up of the man talking, this then lasts for about 5 seconds before cutting to a close up Cobb looking up at the man as a sound bridge happens to indicate the next scene.

As the dialogue continues it shows a close up of a man eating to then a over the shoulder shot to show Cobb talking this lasts for about 2 seconds before cutting back to a close up of the man eating then another cut to a third man who adds to the dialogue in this scene, it will then cut to Cobb sitting down at the table talking with a cut to the man eating then back to Cobb talking, this shot lasts 7 seconds before cutting back to the man eating to show his reaction then back to Cobb talking for another 3 seconds then a long shot of all three men sitting at the table talking whilst eating, this lasts for about 4 seconds before an over the shoulder shot to show the third man talking then an over the shoulder shot to show Cobb talking for about 5 seconds before cutting to a close up of him talking again, this shot lasts for about 11 seconds before cutting to an over the shoulder shot then panning up to follow Cobb as he stands up from his chair as the dialogue continues when it cuts from the over the should shot to the first man reacting to

what Cobb is saying then to another over the shoulder shot as the camera follows Cobb as he is walking around the room talking, another cut goes from the first man back to Cobb in a mid-range shot as he continues to talk then a cut back to the first man listening to him then as he sits back up and then a low angle shot of the third man begin to get up then a cut to the first man leaving the room while talking to the two men left in the room. A mid range shot of the third man talking then a cut to a mid-range shot of Cobb then another quick cut to a close up of the third man look around as the room begins to shake, a mid range shot of the table is shown as the room shakes then a cut to a mid range-shot of Cobb checking his watch then a cut to an extreme close up of the watch ticking to finish the opening sequence.