Every Christopher Nolan movie, ranked
Eventually, we will see Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. We don’t know what it’s about exactly, which is kind of the point. Nolan loves twists and mysteries. He’s earned that right. The filmmaker is arguably the only director left who gets to make summer tentpole blockbusters that aren’t based on existing property. Not that he hasn’t delved into the world of IP, of course. Since we haven’t seen Tenet, and since its release is now up in the air, we can’t review it, much less include it in a ranking of his feature films. That means we have 10 Nolan pictures to assess and rank. None of his films are bad, but which one comes in 10th? More importantly, which one tops the charts?
“The Dark Knight” (2008)
No, this is not a troll or an attempt at a hot take. Take a deep breath and remember that we said none of Nolan’s movies are bad. That being said, despite its massive success and being the film that got the Oscars to expand its number of Best Picture nominees, it’s Nolan’s worst film. Never a subtle filmmaker, “The Dark Knight” is Nolan at his most heavy handed. He tries to have his cake and eat it too by attempting to mix a message movie (of a dubious nature at that) with a flashy comic book movie. It makes for a bit of a muddled mess, though Heath Ledger is indeed really good as Joker.
“Following” (1998)
This is Nolan’s first film, but not his breakout film. That would come a couple years later. “Following” is about a young man who, well, follows strangers. Eventually, it ends up costing him. You can see the talent on display here, but Nolan was still working out the kinks. Hey, even Paul Thomas Anderson had to make “Hard Eight” before “Boogie Nights.”
“Interstellar” (2014)
Nolan likes big ideas, and he likes to mess with people’s heads when he gets a chance. Sometimes, it works really well. Other times, it can get a little too messy. There is a lot to like about “Interstellar” with manages to mess with both time and space. It feels like nobody was wholly satisfied with the ending, though. A couple tweaks could have gotten it higher on this list.
“Inception” (2010)
Did “Inception” change film scores? Possibly. Is it trippy and original? You bet. Are we glad a movie like this was able to be made in a world that has fallen in love with comic book movies and reboots? Absolutely. All that said, it’s a movie about dream heists. There is a ceiling on a premise like that.
“Memento” (2000)
Honestly, in terms of messing with viewers and film tricks, this may be Nolan’s best work. That’s impressive, given that it’s only his second feature film. Guy Pearce stars as a man with severe memory loss that is trying to solve a heinously violent crime involving his wife. Or is he? We don’t want to say too much, because there are multiple twists in this movie, all of which work and are earned. The only reason it isn’t higher is because the movie is endlessly bleak, and that can make for a hard watch.
“Insomnia” (2002)
Here we have what is probably Nolan’s most straightforward film. It’s not really twisty or crazy. No, “Insomnia” is just a mystery thriller about a police detective looking for a killer. The tweak to that standard format is that the murder happened in Alaska during summer, which means the Sun doesn’t really set. For Al Pacino’s character, visiting from LA, that’s a problem. The movie also features a strong turn by Robin Williams.
“The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)
A lot of people found “The Dark Knight Rises” a somewhat unsatisfying ending to Nolan’s Batman trilogy. We found plenty to like about it. Tom Hardy’s Bane is definitely a big swing, but we largely enjoy his scenery chewing. Anne Hathaway also makes an impressive Catwoman. Had it ended before the final reveal, it would be higher on this list. Even so, overall this is a worthy final outing for Christian Bale’s Caped Crusader.
“Batman Begins” (2005)
Now, we go to the first movie in the trilogy. Sure, we had to sit through Bruce Wayne’s parents getting killed once again, but this was the first film to really show Bruce becoming Batman. That was interesting to see. It also showed us that Christian Bale could handle a role that didn’t include his loving Huey Lewis and murder in equal parts. Plus, Scarecrow was a bold, and inspired, choice for the villain.
“Dunkirk” (2017)
Leave it to Nolan to make a war epic and not just tell it in a straightforward style. Instead, he played with time and made us have to figure out what was happening when. Despite that, “Dunkirk” is a gripping movie. Even for Americans who weren’t raised on hearing the story of this war effort this was a riveting film. The ensemble cast features a mix of stars and unknown names, all of them impressive. Most of all, it’s beautifully shot. It didn’t end up winning Best Picture, but it more than earned its nomination.
“The Prestige” (2006)
Yes, this is the best of Nolan’s films. It combines all his skills and quirks into one incredibly impressive effort. “The Prestige” is beautifully shot and features great acting from Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman. There isn’t another movie like this, and not just because David Bowie plays Nikola Tesla. If you want a movie that looks great and a story that will keep you transfixed from beginning to end, “The Prestige” does that better than any other Nolan movie. If you like Nolan movies and you somehow haven’t seen this one, it’s time to amend that.
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