Christopher Nolan Movies Ranked

Christopher Nolan, the brilliant filmmaker who began his career with a $6,000 budget, is today known for his multimillion-dollar blockbusters. Nolan is known for his magnificent, tight, realistic photography and meticulous, unique, mind-blowing screenplays. Most of his films should be watched again to fully comprehend them – Nolan blends complex stories with good film grammar and perplexing camera angles to keep the audience enthralled.

I believe that every filmmaker should see Nolan's movies since he is one of the few directors who is able to create and portray a compelling story on screen. I understand that it is not my place to evaluate all of Nolan's brilliant movies, but as someone who admires and tries to understand his filmmaking methods, here is my rating of Nolan's top 11 theatrical releases.

11. “Following” (1998)

"Following," Nolan's first feature film, cemented his international status as a writer and filmmaker. The film follows Bill, a young writer who is looking for inspiration for his first novel by following strangers around London's streets, but is drawn to the crime of breaking into people's homes. With only a $6,000 budget, amateur lighting, and 16 mm film stock, Nolan shot "Following."Nolan began his working life as a youthful, ambitious, and idea-filled man. Because this film was created by someone who was born with the talent of filmmaking intelligence rather than someone who tried to be a filmmaker, one can see how realistic Nolan can be, even on a tight budget, while watching it.

The plot is not as perplexing as some of Nolan's earlier films, but we can see his gratifying plot twists, manipulative characters, profound human psychology, and narrative background, much as we see in his later works. Extreme close-ups, non-linear storylines, and cross-cutting scenes are among the tough cinematic techniques included in the picture, which he performed admirably even back then.

10. “Insomnia” (2002)

"Insomnia" is based on a 1997 Norwegian crime thriller about a weak detective with a problematic background — a character type that appears frequently in Nolan's films — who kills his partner by mistake and tries to cover it up. The antagonist and protagonist share a tight, personal relationship, and the plot twists and turns throughout. The story is more logical, sympathetic, and human than Nolan's most recent movies.

"Insomnia" is one of the most memorable crime films of all time, because to Nolan's controlled filmmaking and excellent actors like Al Pacino and the legendary Robin Williams — who revealed his sombre side rather than his iconic humour — However, because nothing happens, the movie can get boring. Working within a studio system with a sizable budget without going overboard with the production, Nolan demonstrated his understanding of the balance between a professional budget and a relatively small budget after spending some time working independently.

9. “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)

The final instalment of "The Dark Knight" trilogy may not receive the same amount of attention as the classic sequel starring Heath Ledger as the Joker; even so, “The Dark Knight Rises” does not disappoint. After abandoning the role of Batman for eight years, Bruce Wayne must return to Gotham to save it from the villain Bane. Because the antagonist's motivation for terrorising Gotham is not explained, the plot can be difficult to follow at times.

One of the factors that contribute to the film's success is its excellent casting. The film's highlight was Hardy's portrayal of Bane. With Bane's statement to Batman, Nolan once again made us think about our life choices: "Peace has cost you your power." You have been defeated by victory." Thanks to Hans Zimmer's musical composition, the film became even more dramatic and horrifying.

8. “Batman Begins” (2005)

Many individuals had initial reservations about Nolan's abilities to helm a superhero movie. Batman, however, possesses non-magical, technological abilities as well as realistic traits like ambition, loss over the death of a loved one, and a quest for justice — he is the best superhero for Nolan to reimagine.

"Batman Begins" is more than just a superhero film with capes, masks, and nonstop action. It also deals with Batman's orphanage trauma, psychiatric issues, flawed personalities, and metamorphosis into the Dark Knight. Nolan did not portray Batman as a unique hero to whom no one can relate; instead, he made him a regular human. The action scenes are adequate, and there are no superfluous lines; nonetheless, the ending falls short of the remainder of the film.

7. “Tenet” (2020)

Nobody anticipated Nolan would continue the surreal narrative so far after his masterpiece "Inception" already pushed the limits of reality. But after watching "Tenet," I think there are no more limitations.

The "Protagonist" (John David Washington), a CIA agent, is attempting to avert the end of the world. He is given a code that can solve any problem: Tenet. The entire "time inversion" concept is tough to grasp, and the vehicle chases and combat sequences make things much more confusing. Though the action scenes are thrilling and breathtaking, Ludwig Göransson's deliberately complicated sound mix makes certain speech difficult to comprehend, which is the film's most aggravating feature.

6. “Interstellar” (2014)

Only Nolan could concoct an original plot about the psychological and interpersonal effects of travelling through a cosmic wormhole. "Interstellar" is unlike any other science fiction film about space and aliens. Instead, the film concentrates on the protagonists' mental states after they leave their family to search for a new home in space.

In "Interstellar," Nolan shows space as a lonely place, in contrast to how it is typically portrayed as a place full of unknowns and adventure. One of the most unforgettable scenes comes on the water planet Miller, where Hans Zimmer's great score features a loud ticking noise in the background that happens in 1.25-second intervals and lasts for a full day on Earth with each tick. But compared to other Nolan movies, this one is unduly drawn out, slow, and explanatory. Even the outstanding performances of Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Michael Caine cannot compensate for the film's plodding pace.

5. “Dunkirk” (2017)

“Dunkirk” is Nolan’s first movie based on a historical event. One of the most typical plotlines for blockbuster war movies is for a group of soldiers to face a difficult situation and emerge victorious. This was not the case with Nolan.

The film depicts British and French soldiers trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk after being encircled by Nazi forces. However, unlike his other films, Nolan did not delve into the plot's backdrop narration, such as the reasons for war and what transpires during the Dunkirk evacuation. Instead, he concentrated on the 400,000 soldiers' fight for survival. On separate timelines and in diverse terrains, he relates the story of three groups: air, sea, and land.

For some, the movie seemed pointless — it has little dialogue and features the cliches of war movies such as explanations of strategy. But I appreciate what Nolan tried to do in “Dunkirk” by realistically visualizing the tension of the battlefield and focusing on soldiers’ trauma and emotions. “Dunkirk” is one of the most realistic war movies, with fantastic visual achievements and tense background sounds — credit to the musical genius of Hans Zimmer and sound designer Richard King.

4. “Memento” (2000)

Following the triumph of "Following," Nolan had a bigger budget and made "Memento," a full-length film noir that people couldn't stop talking about in the 2000s. The film follows Leonard (Guy Pearce), a man with short-term memory loss who seeks vengeance on his wife's rapist and murderer. Since he is aware that he forgets what happened, he has indications tattooed on his body. Unexpectedly, the narrative is told in reverse.

The story, which is gloomy and depressing, was inspired by an original short story written by Nolan's brother, Jonathan, with whom he frequently worked throughout his career. Despite the fact that this is only Nolan's second film, we can see his characteristic skills in action: a likeable protagonist, non-linear narrative, and a detailed plot. "Memento" is one of Nolan's best films because of its photography, score, storyline, and study of the protagonist's mind from beginning to end. We admire his film genius much more now that "Memento" is his second film.

3. “Inception” (2010)

Dreams, dreams and more dreams. The most renowned and mind-bending Nolan film is about dream manipulation. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a burglar who specialises in stealing secrets from people's subconscious minds, and he has been charged with implanting an idea into someone's mind. Planting a thought is not easy; they must go deeper into each fantasy, pushing their minds to their limits. The plot is brilliant and the most innovative concept I've ever seen.

The film grammar is excellent, and the filming angles and cinematography are breathtaking, adding to the film's confusion. "Inception" was ahead of its time with its contradictory storyline and complex ending, as well as a strong cast, and people still talk about it a decade later.

2. “The Dark Knight” (2008)

The first film of Nolan's Batman trilogy was a triumph; however, the second film is the actual masterpiece. The Joker's bank robbery scene sets the tone for the rest of the film. One of the greatest film performances of all time is Heath Ledger's hilarious yet menacing performance as the Joker. "The Dark Knight" would have been proof of his great future career if not for his untimely demise. Furthermore, his connection with Christian Bale as Batman was incredible – they were made for each other.

Like his first Batman movie, "The Dark Knight" isn't merely a superhero movie; Nolan confronts significant philosophical and political issues head-on. The film is about turmoil and conflict, but there is no clear good or bad – both sides are grey, and the film examines their inherent strife.

1. “The Prestige” (2006)

Nolan transports us to early twentieth-century London and introduces us to Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale's characters, who are locked in a lifetime battle for domination, jealousy, and obsession. The Nolan brothers braved a difficult path to further their careers by adapting Christopher Priest's novel from 1995 into a screenplay, and they performed a remarkable job.

Like many Nolan films, the film delves further into the psychological journeys of the protagonists while we watch them fight. "The Prestige" has many twists and hidden hints, and the fact that it is about magicians wonderfully harmonises the film with them, making audiences want to see it again and again. The storyline follows a fragmented narrative sequence rather than being chronological. The film is a visual, sensory, and technological marvel.