Inception is a film written, directed and produced by Christopher Nolan, which portrays the trials and tribulations of a “corporate espionage” spy. Set in a contemporary time, it possesses great cinematography and complex themes and concepts.

There are two worlds which are portrayed by Nolan, exploring the “real” world versus the complications of the “surreal”, where in this case is signified by the dream state. There are various motifs used throughout the film which create clear depictions as to which state the scene is portraying.

The first scene sets this surrealistic emphasis of the film, creating an eerie surreal aspect through the use of an echoed soundtrack of the kid’s voices in the background. Further use of a dissonant ambient soundtrack is also used all throughout the film, creating this sense of surrealism and ascertaining to a sense of urgency as time is slowed and further complication within a situation is comprehended. This distorted and dissonant soundtrack used as a motif to portray a current surreal state or setting. A sense of mystery is also created, with the use of a long shot of the kid’s from behind, emphasising a notion of questioning.

Contrast between transposing scenes are also used to create this notion of surrealism the director is trying to explore. There are major differences between the transitions of scenes, an example being the dissimilarity between the scenes where there seemed to be a peaceful high class dinner party, presented with a mixture of colonial-imperial Chinese theme, juxtaposed to a South American revolutionary movement shown within an a rundown apartment building with prevalent anarchy within the background. This juxtaposition and contrast between scenes also creates for a faster paced progression of the film.

There are also motifs used to differentiate current states of surrealism and reality. “Totems” are key items of symbolism, which create the inclinations between the setting of the scene, signifying if it is within a dream state or the real world.