Inconsistency

Inception spoiler alert! Do not read on if you plan to see the movie!

I think the movie Inception works because it works so hard to provide a coherent theory to hold the various plot twists and turns together. The first Matrix was more or less coherent, although the sequels, imho, were less and less coherent and, well, not as enjoyable. The coherent theory allows the willing suspension of disbelief and all that.

So since they worked so hard to create coherency, the incoherent, inconsistent bits are irritating my little mind. I have to get this out and be done with it:

1. Why doesn't everyone wake up when the van hits the water? I thought that was the big bump that would pull everyone out of their dreaming? Instead, they continue at that level, either sitting on the shore resolving, or escaping from the van. [Why were their oxygen tanks on the van? Did they dream them up? If they could dream up oxygen tanks in the van, why couldn't they dream up better guns?]
   
2. How does Leonardo get the old Ken out of whatever level they were on? They were talking, then they were waking up on the plane. How actually do you get someone out of limbo? (This might actually come in handy some time.)
3. Did it work? The filmmaker could have had a headline in a newspaper lying on the dining room table, or a TV in the background, to suggest that the inception worked. I wanted to know.
   

jd