Nolan's films by Brooks Spears

Christopher Nolan films

Comparing and contrasting Christopher Nolan films could be an extraordinary task. Even though he only has eight, all of his films have been several layers deep. They are all varying works of art even though some come up shorter than others. However, two films which bring a particular challenge and gravity when compared are Memento and The Dark Knight.

These two films on the surface seem incredibly complex and completely uncorrelated. While Memento is a psychological telling of a man with short term memory less, told in a unique manner; the Dark Knight is a film based primarily around the relationship between a villain and a hero.

However, there are several similarities to both of these films as well. These films showcase Nolan's talents as a director through the storytelling. They both drive home how an interesting and engaging story can be told through various methods. The Dark Knight places a large focus on the antagonist of the film, the Joker, to be a foil to the main character, Batman, in an invigorating plot. Memento, though, takes an opposing approach by focusing almost exclusively on the protagonist and his journey to finding his wife's murderer despite his setbacks. Nolan takes full creative advantage of the protagonist's mental handicap, which plays amazingly well with the  story's pacing and narration.