Christopher Nolan’s 2010 sci-fi blockbuster Inception is a cinematic experience like no other. The film follows a skilled thief named Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) who steals secrets from people’s subconscious minds while they dream. Cobb is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: “inception”, the implantation of another person’s idea into a target’s subconscious.
With its complex plot, stunning visuals, and exploration of dreams within dreams, Inception leaves many viewers craving more mind-bending movies in a similar vein. If you loved Inception and are looking for more brain-twisting, reality-questioning films to dive into, look no further. Here are 18 of the best movies like Inception that will leave you pondering the nature of reality long after the credits roll.
1. The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix is the quintessential mind-bending sci-fi film and a clear inspiration for Inception. The story centers on a computer hacker named Neo (Keanu Reeves) who discovers the shocking truth that the world as he knows it is actually a simulated reality called the Matrix, created by machines to subdue the human population, while their bodies’ heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source.
Neo is contacted by the legendary hacker Morpheus, who reveals the truth and trains Neo to bend the rules of the Matrix, allowing him to perform superhuman feats. Together with Morpheus and his crew, Neo leads the fight to overthrow the machines and free humanity.
With its groundbreaking special effects, iconic action scenes, and philosophical themes questioning the nature of reality, The Matrix is a must-watch for any fan of Inception. The film spawned two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, as well as an animated anthology called The Animatrix. A fourth installment, The Matrix Resurrections, was released in 2021.
2. Shutter Island (2010)
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island is a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. The film follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) as he investigates the disappearance of a murderer who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane on the remote Shutter Island.
As Teddy digs deeper into the mystery, he begins to question everything he thought he knew, including his own sanity. With its twisting plot, unreliable narrator, and shocking reveal, Shutter Island shares many similarities with Inception. Both films explore the blurred lines between reality and illusion, leaving the viewer constantly questioning what is real.
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a romantic sci-fi drama with a mind-bending premise. The film follows Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet), a couple who erase each other from their memories after a painful breakup. However, as Joel’s memories of Clementine begin to disappear, he realizes he still loves her and tries to find a way to keep the memories he has left.
Like Inception, Eternal Sunshine delves deep into the subconscious mind, exploring the nature of memory and the power it holds over our lives. The film’s inventive storytelling, which moves back and forth through time as Joel’s memories are erased, is reminiscent of the dream-within-a-dream structure of Inception.
4. Memento (2000)
Another Christopher Nolan film, Memento is a neo-noir thriller that tells its story in reverse chronological order. The film follows Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man with anterograde amnesia who is searching for his wife’s killer. Unable to form new memories, Leonard relies on notes, tattoos, and Polaroid photos to piece together the clues and track down the murderer.
Like Inception, Memento plays with the audience’s perception of time and memory, constantly subverting expectations as the story unfolds in reverse. The film’s unique structure and unreliable narrator keep the viewer engaged and guessing until the very end.
5. Paprika (2006)
Paprika is a Japanese animated sci-fi film that explores the world of dreams and the potential dangers of technology that allows people to enter and manipulate them. The story follows a research psychologist named Atsuko Chiba who uses a device called the DC Mini to enter people’s dreams and help them overcome their trauma.
However, when the DC Mini is stolen and used to commit a series of crimes, Atsuko must enter the dream world as her alter ego, Paprika, to stop the culprit and prevent the collapse of the boundary between dreams and reality.
With its stunning visuals, mind-bending plot, and exploration of the power of dreams, Paprika is often cited as a major influence on Inception. Director Christopher Nolan has even acknowledged the film’s impact on his work.
6. Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko is a sci-fi psychological thriller that follows a troubled teenager named Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) who narrowly escapes death when a jet engine falls from the sky and crashes into his bedroom. Afterward, Donnie begins to experience visions of a man in a monstrous rabbit suit named Frank, who tells him the world will end in 28 days.
As Donnie investigates the meaning behind his visions and the strange events occurring around him, he uncovers a complex web of time travel, alternate realities, and fate. Like Inception, Donnie Darko deals with complex themes and leaves much open to interpretation, inviting viewers to puzzle over its meaning long after the credits roll.
7. Mulholland Drive (2001)
Directed by David Lynch, Mulholland Drive is a surreal neo-noir thriller that blurs the lines between dreams and reality. The film follows Betty Elms (Naomi Watts), an aspiring actress who arrives in Los Angeles and befriends an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring) who is searching for her true identity.
As the two women investigate the mystery, they encounter a series of bizarre and seemingly unconnected events that may or may not be real. With its non-linear narrative, cryptic symbolism, and dream-like atmosphere, Mulholland Drive shares many similarities with Inception. Both films challenge the viewer to untangle their complex plots and question the nature of reality itself.
8. Primer (2004)
Primer is a low-budget sci-fi film that tells the story of two engineers who accidentally invent a time machine. As they begin to experiment with their creation, they discover the dangerous consequences of tampering with the timeline and find themselves caught in a web of paradoxes and alternate realities.
Like Inception, Primer is a dense and complex film that rewards multiple viewings. Its intricate plot and scientific jargon can be challenging to follow at times, but the payoff is a mind-bending exploration of the nature of time and the consequences of our actions.
9. Coherence (2013)
Coherence is an independent sci-fi thriller that follows a group of friends who gather for a dinner party on the night a mysterious comet passes overhead. As strange events begin to occur, the group discovers that the comet has created a series of alternate realities, each with slight variations from the original timeline.
As the characters navigate the multiple realities and try to find their way back to their original world, they are forced to confront their own choices and the consequences of their actions. Like Inception, Coherence plays with the idea of multiple realities and the blurred lines between them, leaving the viewer questioning what is real and what is not.
10. The Prestige (2006)
Another Christopher Nolan film, The Prestige is a period thriller that follows two rival magicians in late 19th century London. Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are obsessed with creating the ultimate illusion, and their rivalry leads them down a dark path of secrecy, betrayal, and even murder.
Like Inception, The Prestige is a film that rewards careful attention to detail and multiple viewings. Its twisting plot and unreliable narrators keep the viewer guessing until the very end, and its exploration of the blurred lines between illusion and reality shares many thematic similarities with Inception.
11. Source Code (2011)
Source Code is a sci-fi thriller that follows a soldier named Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) who wakes up in the body of another man on a commuter train. When the train explodes, Colter discovers that he is part of a secret government program that allows him to relive the last eight minutes of another person’s life in order to identify the bomber and prevent future attacks.
As Colter repeats the same eight minutes over and over, he begins to question the nature of his mission and his own identity. Like Inception, Source Code plays with the idea of time and memory, and its twisting plot keeps the viewer engaged and guessing until the very end.
12. Looper (2012)
Looper is a sci-fi action film set in a future where time travel has been invented but is only available on the black market. The story follows Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a “looper” who is hired to kill people sent back in time by criminal organizations. When Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for assassination, he must confront the consequences of his actions and the nature of fate itself.
With its mind-bending premise, twisting plot, and exploration of the consequences of our choices, Looper shares many similarities with Inception. Both films challenge the viewer to keep up with their complex narratives and question the nature of time and identity.
13. Predestination (2014)
Predestination is a sci-fi thriller that follows a temporal agent (Ethan Hawke) who travels through time to prevent crimes before they occur. When he is assigned to prevent a bombing in 1975 New York, he encounters a mysterious figure known as the “Fizzle Bomber” and becomes entangled in a web of paradoxes and alternate timelines.
Like Inception, Predestination deals with complex themes of time travel, identity, and the nature of fate. Its twisting plot and mind-bending reveals keep the viewer engaged and questioning the nature of reality until the very end.
14. Mr. Nobody (2009)
Mr. Nobody is a sci-fi drama that follows Nemo Nobody (Jared Leto), the last mortal man in a future where humanity has achieved immortality. As Nemo lies on his deathbed, he recounts his life story to a reporter, revealing a series of choices and alternate paths that he could have taken.
As Nemo’s story unfolds across multiple timelines and realities, the film explores the nature of choice, fate, and the consequences of our actions. Like Inception, Mr. Nobody plays with the idea of multiple realities and the blurred lines between them, leaving the viewer questioning what is real and what is imagined.
15. The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
The Thirteenth Floor is a sci-fi thriller that follows a computer scientist named Douglas Hall (Craig Bierko) who becomes embroiled in a murder mystery that spans the real world and a virtual reality simulation of 1937 Los Angeles. As Douglas investigates the crime, he begins to question the nature of his own reality and the true identity of the simulation’s creator.
Like Inception, The Thirteenth Floor deals with the blurred lines between reality and simulation, and its twisting plot keeps the viewer guessing until the very end. The film’s exploration of the nature of consciousness and identity also shares many thematic similarities with Inception.
16. The Butterfly Effect (2004)
The Butterfly Effect is a sci-fi thriller that follows Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher), a college student who discovers he has the ability to travel back in time and change the events of his past. As Evan attempts to use his power to fix the tragedies and mistakes of his life, he discovers that even the smallest changes can have profound and unintended consequences.
Like Inception, The Butterfly Effect deals with the nature of time and memory, and its exploration of the consequences of our choices shares many thematic similarities with Nolan’s film. The film’s twisting plot and alternate timelines also keep the viewer engaged and questioning the nature of reality.
17. Timecrimes (2007)
Timecrimes is a Spanish sci-fi thriller that follows a man named Hector (Karra Elejalde) who accidentally travels back in time and becomes embroiled in a series of increasingly bizarre and dangerous events. As Hector attempts to navigate the paradoxes and alternate timelines created by his actions, he must confront the consequences of his choices and the nature of fate itself.
Like Inception, Timecrimes is a mind-bending film that plays with the viewer’s perception of time and reality. Its twisting plot and clever use of time travel tropes keep the audience engaged and guessing until the very end.
18. Vanilla Sky (2001)
Vanilla Sky is a sci-fi psychological thriller that follows David Aames (Tom Cruise), a wealthy playboy whose life is turned upside down after a car accident leaves him disfigured and his lover dead. As David struggles to cope with his new reality, he begins to experience strange and surreal events that blur the lines between dreams and waking life.
Like Inception, Vanilla Sky deals with the nature of reality and the power of the subconscious mind. Its twisting plot and unreliable narrator keep the viewer guessing until the very end, and its exploration of the blurred lines between dreams and reality shares many thematic similarities with Nolan’s film.
In conclusion, if you loved the mind-bending thrills and complex themes of Inception, these 18 films are sure to scratch that same itch. From sci-fi classics like The Matrix and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to lesser-known gems like Coherence and Timecrimes, these movies will keep you questioning the nature of reality long after the credits roll. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to have your mind blown all over again.
