It’s Christmas Eve and I finally got to watch Christopher
Nolan’s latest film, Tenet, last
night on DVD. I knew going in that many critics knocked it for being both
confusing in plot as well as difficult to keep up with because of the level of
noise drowning out the dialogue in certain scenes. The good news is neither of
those things bothered me much. Yes, the plot is complex and yes, some of the dialogue
is muffled, but neither of those complaints is why Tenet fails to rank up there with the best of Nolan’s films. For
me, the movie’s failure is that Nolan
just got too clever for his story’s own good. I kept finding myself chuckling
over some nimble bit of science he throws at a scene, some inventive camera
trick, or just pondering how he managed particular action sequences. I was much
more interested in the how of the film rather than the what. I didn’t have much
invested in any of the characters or if they would win their battle over
opponents armed with “inversion”. I just marveled at the filmmaking logistics
Nolan challenged his self with. Tenet
is definitely an achievement, it just isn’t particularly good story-telling. So
how does it stack up when compared to Nolan’s other 10 feature films? See below
for his worst to best.
Following (1998)
Nolan’s debut only clocks in at 69 minutes and was made on
the stringiest of shoestring budgets. It’s interesting and shows some of the promise
he soon delivered in his bigger budget films, but it’s the least of his works
in my opinion.
Dunkirk (2017)
Yes, yes, I know. This film was a critical darling that won
all sort of awards including three Oscars, but there’s a reason it’s got one of Nolan’s lowest rankings on IMDB. For all its prestige, it’s kind of indulgent
and for a war movie, it’s kind of boring.
Insomnia (2002)
This film boasts great performances by Al Pacino and Robin
Williams and an intriguing setting in an Alaska town where the endless sunlight
wears down a sleep-deprived detective who battles both a worthy opponent and
his own guilt.
The Dark Knight Rises
(2012)
This is the last and the weakest of Nolan’s three Batman films.
Christian Bale is still great as the Caped Crusader and Tom Hardy makes a properly
menacing Bane, but the movie is at least 20 minutes too long and nothing Nolan
could do would match the villain and story of the trilogy’s second film.
Tenet (2020)
Interesting theme, big set pieces, incredible action
sequences, but as stated above, the sum of this film doesn’t measure up to all
its parts. This movie is perhaps the best release of a dismal year in cinema, but
it isn’t nearly as good as the films that follow it on this list.
Batman Begins (2005)
Nolan reinvented superhero films with this one and the genre
has been massive ever since. No longer campy with cringe-worthy dialogue and
ridiculous spandex costumes, this Batman was dark, gritty, and the direct predecessor
to what I believe is the best movie of its kind.
Memento (2000)
If Following
showed Nolan’s promise as a storyteller and director, Memento delivered on that promise. This is his second film and it’s
a knock-out. Utilizing the unique device of short-term memory loss, this movie
tells the tale of a man determined to avenge his wife’s death despite a
complete lack of recollection of anything that’s happened since she met her
demise.
Interstellar (2014)
It’s been six years since I reviewed Interstellar on this blog and the film holds up just as well today
as it did then. In fact, Nolan hasn’t made a film to match it since. Big,
ambitious sci-fi like this one is always a treat when it’s done well and this
one is exceptional. Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and crew must travel
through a wormhole to save humanity at the risk of never seeing their loved
ones again.
The Prestige (2006)
This film boasts Nolan’s best cast ever including Christian
Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, and maybe
my favorite David Bowie acting performance of all time. The Prestige tells a tale about the cost of illusion and the
miracles of science and it includes one of my favorite images ever captured on
film, the forest of top hats.
The Dark Knight (2008)
This is the greatest superhero movie ever made, bar none. I’m
not even a fan of the genre and I love this one. Christian Bale is superb as
always, but it’s Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance as the Joker that
steals the show. How do you defeat an
opponent who “can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with”? What if
that opponent simply “wants to watch the world burn”?
Inception (2010)
And finally, my favorite of all Christopher Nolan’s films, his
sci-fi masterpiece, Inception. Nolan put
together another fantastic ensemble cast for this one that tells the story of a
group of corporate spies who infiltrate the mind of a young industrialist in
order to plant an idea that will dramatically alter his company and his memory
of his recently deceased, unloving father. Nolan is known for his brilliant
ideas, complex narratives, and massive set pieces. Inception nails all three of
these trademarks.
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