10 Best Sci-Fi Movie Cliffhangers

Christopher Nolan’s Inception is one of the most remarkably weird films to make it to the mainstream, with the film becoming a huge commercial success in 2010 (that’s 10 years ago!)

The film combines the usual blueprints for a big blockbuster, with huge special effects and an all-star cast, while exploring some complicated concepts, including that of dreams, reality and time.

Inception centres around Dom Cobb and his group of hired thieves, who attempt to implant someone’s idea into their target’s subconscious. After seemingly succeeding in their mission, the team part ways, and everything seems wrapped up.

However, as he comes back home to his children, Dom spins his totem (a way of determining if he is still in a dream), but instead of seeing the outcome, he goes to play with his kids. The final frame zooms into the spinning totem, hinting that he may not have escaped from his dream.

What exactly does it mean? Was it all a dream? Is Dom dead and stuck in limbo? Is it something to do with Mal? There are many theories, however, it is best left unexplained. We’ll probably never get a sequel, so who knows (unless, the theories are true, and Nolan’s forthcoming film, Tenet is a secret sequel to Inception).

The cliffhanger works so well, because like the film itself, it is bold, strange, and very unexpected. It almost feels like it is Nolan performing Inception on the audience - it plants an idea in your head, making you rethink everything you’ve just seen.