From Following to Oppenheimer, here’s why Christopher Nolan remains cinema’s greatest modern blockbuster auteur.
Key Points
- Christopher Nolan is one of the few modern-day filmmakers to command a cult global fanbase of his own.
- His name alone is enough to sell a film, often more than the cast itself.
- After tackling war films, science fiction, human dramas and thrillers, Nolan is now going all out with an adaptation of the Greek mythological tale The Odyssey.
We doubt anyone would argue that Christopher Nolan is one of the few modern-day filmmakers to command a cult global fanbase of his own. His name alone is enough to sell a film, often more than the cast itself. Of course, when Nolan is attached to a project, the biggest stars are automatically drawn to it.
Christopher Nolan is not someone who wants to spoon-feed or break down difficult concepts for you, at least to the root level. He wants you to experience the thrill and drama that come with them, turning them into fodder for captivating films that lead to fascinating conversations even if you are still clueless about the mechanics. We mean, how many of you still understand how wormholes in Interstellar work?
After tackling war films, science fiction, human dramas and thrillers, Nolan is now going all out with an adaptation of the Greek mythological tale The Odyssey.
Filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, The Odyssey is Nolan’s latest attempt to lure audiences into experiencing cinema in the best way possible on the big screen.
And if that’s not enticing enough, he has assembled a fabulous cast featuring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Himesh Patel, Charlize Theron and more.
As we prepare ourselves for what Mr Nolan has cooked up with The Odyssey, Sreeju Sudhakaran revisits his entire filmography and ranks it from decent and watchable to exhilarating and awesome.
12. Following (1998)
Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Christopher Nolan’s debut is probably his least-watched film for many, but it remains a curious oddity.
Following is an experimental, low-budget psychological thriller, shot in black and white with a limited cast, about a writer who follows random strangers around to feed his creative instincts, only to land himself in trouble. The film features the non-linear narration that Nolan would put to far better use in his sophomore outing, along with enough surprise twists.
At the same time, you can clearly see this is the work of a filmmaker who has immense promise and potential but is still finding his voice, while the performances are nothing much to write home about.
11. Tenet (2020)
I have no qualms admitting I ain’t smart enough to decipher all the layers of sci-fi mumbo jumbo in the time-manipulating gibberish of Tenet. That’s the problem with the film.
There is no denying it is technically brilliant and demands a cerebral level of involvement from the audience to fully grasp what’s going on. But while we’ve seen Nolan tackle outlandish sci-fi concepts before, Tenet feels like his most inaccessible film, and therefore the least enjoyable.
It doesn’t help that, apart from the reverse-time shenanigans, the plot itself offers little emotional involvement, while the track involving Kenneth Branagh and Elizabeth Debicki feels a tad too melodramatic for Nolan’s tastes. But there is the graceful Dimple Kapadia here, and that alone earns Tenet a soft corner from us Indians.
10. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The biggest problem with The Dark Knight Rises is that it has to follow The Dark Knight, arguably the greatest solo superhero movie ever made, alongside Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2.
The Dark Knight Rises is by no means a bad film. It is a well-made action spectacle with terrific moments like Bane hijacking an entire plane, Nolan recreating the iconic comic panel of Bane breaking Batman’s spine, and the destruction of the football stadium.
Tom Hardy as Bane and Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle are terrific additions while Christian Bale is solid as always as the Dark Knight.
Yet, it never feels like a particularly cohesive film, with several plot holes that are difficult to ignore. It is still hugely entertaining, but we’ve seen Nolan do better, even with Batman.
9. Insomnia (2002)
The under-rated gem in Christopher Nolan’s filmography, Insomnia also marks the only time the director worked with three acting legends: Al Pacino, Hilary Swank and the late Robin Williams.
One of his shorter films, Insomnia follows a homicide detective who travels to a small Alaskan town to investigate a murder, only to accidentally shoot his own partner, an act witnessed by the killer himself. The endless daylight, combined with the killer’s psychological taunts, slowly takes a toll on the detective’s sanity.
Al Pacino is superb as the guilt-ridden insomniac detective while Robin Williams delivers one of his rare and chilling villainous performances. The film is also beautifully photographed across picturesque Canadian locations.
It may not be among Nolan’s finest scripts, but Insomnia remains the last time he attempted something gripping on a comparatively intimate scale.
8. Dunkirk (2017)
I was that blown away by what Nolan achieved cinematically in depicting the evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk beach, and gave the film a five-star rating.
Even while narrating what should have been a straightforward evacuation story, Nolan plays with time and narrative structure, presenting the real-life drama through three events unfolding across different timelines that eventually converge brilliantly.
Meticulously shot and magnificently scored by Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk was a breathtaking experience on the big screen. That’s also where the issue lies.
It remains one of the greatest war films ever made, but beyond that theatrical spectacle, it lacks the rewatchability of classics like Saving Private Ryan, Platoon or Black Hawk Down.
7. Interstellar (2014)
There are a couple of Nolan films that I didn’t appreciate much initially but whose stature has grown immensely in my mind after multiple rewatches. Interstellar is one of them.
This futuristic space-travel saga once again sees Nolan playing with the dynamics of time. It isn’t the easiest film to follow, but compared to Tenet, Interstellar feels like an open book.
Visually stunning and impressively committed to maintaining scientific plausibility wherever mainstream storytelling permits, the movie boasts several unforgettable sequences, from the water planet expedition to the entire Matt Damon stretch.
Matthew McConaughey is excellent in the lead, while the emotional bond between Cooper and his daughter becomes the film’s true heartbeat. I still enjoy grappling with the weird yet fascinating tesseract sequence, but as a character wisely says in Tenet, ‘don’t try to understand it, just feel it’.
6. Batman Begins (2005)
The reputation of Batman Begins as a superb, grounded superhero film is often overshadowed by its masterpiece of a sequel. But The Dark Knight works so brilliantly because Batman Begins built such a strong foundation.
Loosely adapting Batman: Year One, Christopher Nolan strips away the more fantastical elements of Batman lore to create a far more hard-boiled interpretation.
Christian Bale proves himself a superb Bruce Wayne while Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are excellent in supporting roles. Cillian Murphy and Liam Neeson also make for memorable antagonists as Scarecrow and the real Ra’s al Ghul respectively.
The rare weak spots remain the logical loopholes of the main villain’s final plan and Rachel Dawes as a character. Then again, writing compelling female characters with independent agency has often been Nolan’s Achilles’ heel (no Odyssey pun intended).
5. The Prestige (2006)
The Prestige is another Christopher Nolan film that has only grown in my estimation over the years.
Chronicling an obsessive rivalry between two magicians determined to outdo each other with the ultimate illusion, The Prestige is a smartly crafted, engrossing drama anchored by terrific performances from Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, with excellent support from Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and David Bowie.
The film has its fair share of twists and surprises, but what truly captivates is the terrifying extent to which both protagonists are willing to sacrifice everything just to gain the upper hand.
Nolan is often criticised for being weak at human drama. The Prestige is a perfect rebuttal.
4. Memento (2000)
The film that made the world sit up and take notice of Christopher Nolan.
I had watched the Hindi remake, Ghajini, first, which reduced it to a fairly straightforward revenge drama while borrowing only the protagonist’s short-term memory loss and his tattoo system. A couple of years later, I watched the Nolan film, and needless to say, I was absolutely blown away by the kind of innovating storytelling that the director brought in here.
Memento is also a revenge thriller, but what makes it extraordinary is the way it constantly tricks the audience into expecting the unexpected.
Beyond its brilliant use of the unreliable narrator, its reverse chronology allows Nolan to literally begin with the ending and build backwards, only to completely change your understanding of everything that came before. Never has the rug been pulled so hard from below your feet!
3. Inception (2010)
Possibly Christopher Nolan’s most beloved film, Inception still has audiences debating its ending, wondering what’s real and whether, like Cobb, we’re all living inside someone else’s dream.
It takes remarkable confidence to turn a concept as bizarre as a ‘dream heist’ into a serious, emotionally engaging thriller packed with visually inventive action and set design, and an enviable ensemble led by Leonardo DiCaprio.
If Memento introduced Nolan to cinephiles and Batman Begins made him a mainstream filmmaker, it was The Dark Knight and Inception that elevated him into the cult figure he remains today.
2. Oppenheimer (2023)
Or the film that finally earned Nolan his Oscar, along with Academy Awards for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.
Trust Nolan to avoid making a conventional biopic and instead embrace his favourite storytelling devices, including non-linear narration and black-and-white imagery, to explore the more turbulent phases of J Robert Oppenheimer’s life.
He clearly understands that a three-hour film centred on theoretical physics and political hearings could risk alienating mainstream audiences, so he fills it with a huge ensemble, stunning visual and sound design, and his trademark narrative techniques.
The result is a powerful film with some well-acted moments that works both as an engaging exploration into Oppenheimer’s life and career, and an enthralling courtroom drama.
Some have criticised the film for not directly depicting the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Fair point.
But Nolan’s intention was to explore a man crushed by the moral consequences of a destruction he helped unleash. In that regard, Oppenheimer is quietly masterful.
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
Okay, I admit I have a soft spot for superhero films done right, and The Dark Knight continues to stand tall in that regard. I don’t think there’s a more rewatchable or quotable film in Nolan’s career, with nearly every character getting a chance to shine.
Of course, towering above everyone is the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, the embodiment of senseless chaos who simply wants to watch the world burn.
But beyond Ledger’s iconic performance, The Dark Knight also delivers another unforgettable villain in Aaron Eckhart’s tragic Harvey Dent with a more compelling arc that is tied to his famous dialogue: “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain”.
Even Gotham itself becomes a living, breathing character, with the film brilliantly capturing the fear, paranoia and corruption consuming the city.
Great performances, phenomenal action, eminently repeatable dialogues (“Why so serious?”) and unforgettable moments that keep thriving on our social media, The Dark Knight is epic in nearly every sense.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
