CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S FILMS RANKED

In a continuation of a series I did a while ago where I ranked artists' discographies, and in anticipation of Tenet which comes out next year some time, here is my ranking of all of Christopher Nolan's feature films, from Following to Dunkirk. Heads up, there are potential spoilers ahead for all of Christopher Nolan's films.

10) The Dark Knight Rises (M)

It is the mark of a great filmmaker when something as monumentally entertaining as The Dark Knight Rises comes in as their bottom ranked film. But there are no two ways about it - Rises is too long, and there are plot holes that are impossible to ignore beyond the first viewing. Unlike a lot of people, it is not the ending that I have issues with - you have to respect the choice to swing for the fences so hard in the finale of one of the greatest and most iconic trilogies of our time. Upon scratching the surface it is the lack of depth to be found in its philosophical and political aspirations, and the aforementioned plot holes that drag it down, particularly throughout its baggy middle section. There are so many iconic moments, though. The opening plane heist? Stunning. Batman fighting Bane on the streets as prisoners and police officers engage in epic class warfare around them? Unforgettable. And Batman getting his arse handed to him in the sewers by Bane is for me one of the definitive on screen Batman moments.

But I think the biggest strength Rises has is its ability to stay patient and allow the first act to properly digest the implications and lasting effect of its predecessor on the characters, particularly those of Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne and Gary Oldman's Commissioner Gordon. When Wayne does eventually and reluctantly put on the cape, there is no fanfare or overindulgence in silly superhero fetishism - he just appears on screen. There is a real sense of the groaning ache and reluctance that accompanies Batman's return, and an even greater sense of pain that is almost always ignored in common superhero cinema. Plot issues aside (how does Batman return to Gotham in such quick time? Isn't the entire city on lockdown anyway? How does he have time to indulge in his arts-and-craft project before saving Gordon from ice that magically becomes ok to stand on again just because he has returned?) the movie really doubles down on a socking final act and fitting epilogue that emotionally and thematically ties the trilogy together nicely, if only a little too perfectly.

9) Following (M)

Nolan's debut feature is a little-seen gem, even if it does have all the hallmarks of a filmmaker who is still discovering their craft and voice. Shot on black and white 16mm with an estimated budget of about $6,000, and clocking in at a meagre 69 minutes, it is a film that lacks the technical sparkle and expensive sheen that has allowed Nolan to really flourish over the years, but his skill behind the camera and as a writer (something he would later come to successfully share with his brother) are more than evident. It follows (ahem) a young writer who compulsively follows strangers, and of course quickly becomes involved in things he should be involved in. It also shows Nolan's early propensity for smart thrillers, something he further established with Memento, Inception and Insomnia, and looks to be returning to with Tenet. 

8) Interstellar (M)

Nolan's science fiction epic is his attempt at Heart of Darkness in space, similar to James Gray's Ad Astra from earlier this year. There is no denying that Interstellar is visually stunning - there are sequences that are consistently breathtaking no matter how many times you have already seen them, and its depiction of space is one that really emphasises the vastness and emptiness of the endless cosmos. Visual elements aside, the story is one that focuses on the relationship between father and daughter (at the expense of the son), played by Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain respectively. This is smart on Nolan and his brother and co-writer Jonathan's part, because it provided the emotional hook to keep you invested after all the visual splendour and spectacle loses its impact (which it inevitably will over its nearly three-hour runtime). Its balance of heady science fiction and emotion tip precariously in each direction throughout the film, though. Some ear-scraping exposition about love and an explanation of wormholes so out of place in an otherwise intelligent film really blemish the overall product, and the mind-bending final act will likely lose many viewers. It's no 2001 or Solaris, but it sure is ambitious and pulls it off for the most part. 

7) Inception (M)

Call me a heathen, but I have never been nearly as head-over-heels for Inception as everyone else seems to be. My feeling is that it isn't nearly as intelligent as it wants you to think it is, and a lot of what I hear is so fantastic about Inception is to do with just that. I actually think it is a much better film than a lot of people give it credit for, though. As is so common with Nolan it has a core emotional hook that is the throughline of the film, and DiCaprio's performance is pretty good. Unfortunately some of the side-characters become vessels for explaining the story to the audience for large chunks of the film, and I actually think that for a film that puts so much trust in the audience to keep up with it there is room for even less hand-holding. The action set-pieces are excellent, and particular mention must be made of Nolan's commitment not only to shooting on film but also to capturing as much as possible in camera without the aid of CGI (the rotating hallway sequence is the most commonly referred to example of this). It is a great movie, but I do think it is overrated. 

6) Dunkirk (M)

Commonly referred to as Nolan's coldest and most detached film (I think that title actually goes to Following), Dunkirk chronicles the rescue of Allied forces on Dunkirk beach surrounded by German soldiers during WWII. As is to be expected from a Nolan film it deals out the story in such a way that manipulates time. The moment in the cinema at which I realised exactly what they were doing with the passage of time was an awesome moment, and having thought about it a few times I think it really works for the film's benefit, not simply as a cheap gimmick. It is unrelentingly tense literally from its first frame, and ends with maybe one of my favourite Nolan endings. It's ability to ratchet tension is due in large part to its amazing score, powered by both a ticking clock and the use of something called a Shepard Tone. Its decision to portray its characters in a very cold and impersonal manner would render a lesser film hollow and without resonance, but in the case of Dunkirk it manages to substitute singular, unique characters for the Allied forces as a whole. It is a strange thing tonally to get used to without many discernible characters to latch on to, but it works. 

5) Batman Begins (M)

For a long time this was my favourite of Nolan's Batman trilogy, and for good reason. Batman Begins is a weird art movie pretending to be a big budget superhero action movie, and I love that aspect to it. The origin of the darker, grittier and more realistic Batman that we had been promised since it was announced Tim Burton and Michael Keaton would be taking a stab at the caped crusader back in the 80s, it focuses on the man Bruce Wayne first and foremost, so it makes complete sense when he inevitably decides to suit up and take on Gotham's criminals. There is also a strong vein of horror throbbing at the film's heart, something that I was genuinely surprised by the first time I saw Begins. Unlike its sequel, which is unrelentingly bleak and violent, Begins is frightening and unsettling, something that makes complete sense given Batman's roots in gothic horror and frightening iconography and is endlessly refreshing to see on screen in such full force. Cillian Murphy excels as the series' first villain, someone who is perhaps unfairly forgotten in a series that does have Heath Ledger's Joker, Aaron Eckhart's Two-Face and Tom Hardy's Bane understandably taking the spotlight. The disappointing thing for me about Begins that stops it from being really special is the big smashy crashy finale which, while still good, feels out of place in a more psychological film and was perhaps a necessary compromise with the studio to get such an already intensely arthouse-inspired blockbuster greenlit. 

4) Memento (MA15+)

Notoriously impenetrable and in actual fact more complex than most people give it credit for, Memento was when Nolan announced himself to the wider world as a serious filmmaker of intimidating talent. Told in a non-linear way that makes complete sense in the context of its central character, someone that is unable to make new memories after an increasingly unclear traumatic event, it never feels like the film is trying to shake you off for the sake of it, but rather encouraging you to stick with it and uncover its mysteries as its crippled protagonist does. There's not a lot to be said about Memento that hasn't already been said, but it is one of those films for me that I have resisted rewatching too many times to leave the power and excitement I have for it intact. It isn't just a film that is worth seeing for the gimmick of its unconventional structure, it's also an incredibly powerful revenge thriller with more than a few twists and turns in it.

3) The Dark Knight (M)

Perhaps the most iconic superhero movie of all time. Endlessly entertaining, and of course Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker is the sparkling centrepiece. The reason it works, though, is that first and foremost it is an incredibly tense and effective crime thriller. The fact that the two main characters going head to head are pulled from comic book lore is largely irrelevant to the story that asks some pointed political questions about the post-9/11 world we live in today. It is important to remember that part of the reason the Joker is so perfect in The Dark Knight is to do with Batman himself. Were the Joker tormenting any old police commissioner the story and the characters wouldn't have nearly the same power - the Heath Ledger's Joker is the perfect counterpoint for Christian Bale's Batman. They both want the same thing - as the Joker so eloquently puts it, they are engaged in a battle for "Gotham's soul". The Joker understands Batman, and the Joker is constantly putting Batman in situations and problems that force him to make choices that reveal his character. This is the essence of what makes The Dark Knight so engaging and compelling. If you had to nitpick, I would say that maybe there is one too many moral dilemma set-pieces, but it's common knowledge at this point that The Dark Knight is a classic for a reason. 

2) Insomnia (M)

At this point in my list I had to begin to make some tough decisions and weigh up how much I value the objective and common opinions of the greatest Nolan films against the ones that are my personal favourites. I know if many other people had been putting together this list The Dark Knight would have likely ended up in the number one slot, but this is my list and I've decided to go with my own personal feelings and the films that have had the biggest impact on me. Insomnia is one of Nolan's lesser known films along with Following, which is a shame because it is absolutely phenomenal. It features two central performances from Al Pacino and Robin Williams that are absolutely for the ages, in particular Williams' against type role as the unsettling and slightly seedy Walter Finch. It is dark twisted, which is ironic given the setting of 24-hour sunlight in Alaska. Most importantly for me, it is completely morally ambiguous and never sits comfortably into safe conventions of good guys and bad guys. It asks you to consider questions that do not have easy answers, and it asks you to sympathise with people that are both honourable and despicable. The cinematography is equally as astounding, but the late Robin Williams' performance is the real highlight for me. He is so complex, damaged, diabolical, vulnerable and impenetrable all at the same time, with a constant feeling like there is something more going on underneath those cold, indifferent eyes that he keeps hidden. If you haven't seen this one, which likely you haven't, I highly highly recommend it and encourage you to seek it out, because it really is not only top tier Nolan but top tier cinema.

1) The Prestige (M)

Here we are at number one. For those of you that know me well this will come as no surprise, but my favourite Nolan film (and one of my all-time favourites) is The Prestige. There is so much for me to say about The Prestige that I will probably dedicate an entire blog post to it at some point, but for now I will do my best to keep it short and succinct. My love for this film comes in two levels. On the first level is the way that its structure mirrors and informs the story itself, with all of its twists and revelations. For a story about magic and the deception of others, the way that the film uses the very things that the characters use themselves - outlined in the prologue as "The Pledge", "The Turn", and "The Prestige" - is so deftly baked into its DNA. On that level of simple storytelling it is a film that demands you to watch it again and again, picking up on all the little clues and hints along the way. But on another level, I believe that it uses its structure to be a commentary on the art of filmmaking and storytelling in general, and does so in a way that is nuanced and multifaceted. Let me explain what I mean without going into too much detail, because like I said, I plan on dedicating an entire blog to this. The Prestige is a very metacinematic film, but it manages to be so without blatantly metacinematic images (think about Deadpool speaking down the barrel of the lens, or the police force showing up and ruining the climactic battle at the end of Monty Python and the Holy Grail). It is about the form and function of filmmaking, but in a way that maintains a commitment to immersive storytelling. It's a movie about tricks and illusions, a movie about the tricks and illusions of filmmaking, but also a movie that allows you to be fooled by those tricks and illusions if that's what you want. The first two shots are, in retrospect, explanations of what the entire movie is about, but if you decide that you want to be fooled, it allows you to. Without evidence and the time to go into detail this probably sounds like pretentious nonsense, and it could well be just that, but regardless The Prestige is my favourite of Christopher Nolan's films. 

I'd love to know if you have a different opinion to mine, so feel free to comment below to let me know! In the mean time I am going to be rewatching all of these in the lead up to Tenet next year and celebrate the work of one of my favourite mainstream directors working today. Have a good one!