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- One of the year's most anticipated films, Oppenheimer, has finally hit theatres. With the talented Cillian Murphy in the lead role, the historical thriller is guaranteed to provide audiences with a great time especially because of the messages it sends. Although it is far from the filmmaker's most confusing flicks, it will likely have viewers scratching their heads at some points.
Christopher Nolan has been entertaining audiences with compelling filmmaking since the debut of Following in 1999. Over time, the sharp and innovative director quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century. Nolan made his way up to the top by providing the film industry with cinematic masterpieces such as Interstellar and The Dark Knight, the beloved second installment of the Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale.
Although some may argue that his films are straightforward enough to comprehend without much trouble, several viewers perceive the movies as puzzling and hard to follow. While these are not the type of films to leave on while cleaning the kitchen or doing laundry, their demand for attention is a big part of what makes them great. Christopher Nolan's filmography is unquestionably littered with timeless classics that utilize non-linear storytelling and, more often than not, the skillful usage of the concept of time and its paradoxes — not to mention the astonishing soundtracks, much like Inception's iconic Hans Zimmer's score excerpt "Time." But do all Nolan films require viewers to Google search "ending explained" right after the movie ends? Well, it depends.
Updated on July 28, 2023, by Daniela Gama:
One of the year's most anticipated films, Oppenheimer, has finally hit theatres. With the talented Cillian Murphy in the lead role, the historical thriller is guaranteed to provide audiences with a great time especially because of the messages it sends. Although it is far from the filmmaker's most confusing flicks, it will likely have viewers scratching their heads at some points.
10 'The Dark Knight' Trilogy (2005 - 2012)
Nolan's own superhero universe (also known as the "Nolanverse") consists of three films. Batman Begins (2005) kicks off by telling the origin story and rise of the treasured superhero. The Dark Knight (2008), a much bigger movie, raises the bar while simultaneously introducing Heath Ledger's iconic portrayal of the Joker. Ultimately, The Dark Knight Rises (2012), though not as great as the second film, makes for an entertaining watch filled with twists and surprises, bringing Batman's story full circle.
These remarkable comic book movies are hardly confusing, at least while ranking them alongside the following films. The Nolan Batman trilogy is extremely well-known, and The Dark Knight only gets better with time. However, there are a few plot holes in The Dark Knight Rises that can cause minor misunderstandings.
9 'Insomnia' (2002)
In this psychological thriller (a remake of a Norwegian film of the same name, made in 1998 by Erik Skjoldbjaerg), Al Pacino plays a non-gangster role as Will Domer, a veteran cop who is sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl.
Overall, Insomnia's plot is pretty simple. The only elements that make this film somewhat complicated are, perhaps, Will's own troubles and internal struggles. While a few nice twists and great amounts of suspense are present, this movie is one of Nolan's most understandable.
8 'Dunkirk' (2017)
Sometimes it can be easy to forget that Nolan directed Dunkirk, simply because you wouldn't expect him to direct a war film. However, the 2017 feature turned out wonderful. It follows the evacuation of allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France from a fierce battle during World War II.
Though there isn't a particular element of the unknown surrounding its storyline, the war itself is confusing enough, which makes this film puzzling in its own way. When bombs are being thrown and guns are going off constantly, it is challenging, to say the least, not to be disoriented. Still, because of its non-linear structure — a very common aspect of Nolan's work — the chronology of the film can appear unclear to some.
7 'Oppenheimer' (2023)
The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, an American theoretical physicist who played a crucial role in developing the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project, is told in Oppenheimer. The 2005 biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin serves as the basis for the film, which is presented in a non-linear fashion. The movie highlights how Oppenheimer's work helped bring about the Atomic Age and reflects on its impact even today, providing food for thought to viewers during a somewhat threatening AI era.
Although it is possibly widely considered one of the least confusing out of all Christopher Nolan movies, Oppenheimer counts on a crowded talented cast and a wide range of different historical characters. As a result, the storyline may become convoluted, especially if you have been diligently paying attention and striving not to overlook any particulars for three consecutive hours.
6 'The Prestige' (2006)
The Prestige is one of Nolan's most compelling pieces of work, though it remains a hidden gem compared to the rest of his catalog. A must-watch for those who love magic, it centers around the story of two magicians in 1890s London who, after an accident, engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while striving to outwit each other at all costs.
With bewitching practical effects and just the right amount of dramatic panache and twists, the film, which intelligently depicts the rivalry between two magicians, is likely one of the filmmaker's most underrated. Although it provides audiences with a confusing narrative, it is fairly easy to piece it all together in the end.
5 'Following' (1999)
Following marks the beginning of the director's journey of actively confusing people, and it tells the story of a writer who is obsessed with following strangers.
Christopher Nolan's low-budget directorial debut contains some of his signature tropes, such as non-chronological storytelling and a bewildered ending, which makes for a great twisting thriller with a narrative that keeps you hooked. It is a great captivating film that becomes even more impressive when viewers learn that it was shot on a minuscule student film budget.
4 'Inception' (2010)
The movie that premiered twelve years ago, starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Elliot Page, Inception is one of the filmmaker's most famous works, making audiences wonder if it was all a dream up until this day. Inception tackles the concept of time and dreams within dreams in an innovative way, coming up with something that was never seen before.
Its final seconds, which spins the audience around, is perhaps one of the most debated and talked-about confusing endings in film history. The movie itself is an extremely exciting, suspenseful, unforgettable ride.
3 'Interstellar' (2014)
Matthew McConaughey masterfully and emotionally plays Cooper, a member of a space-travel team who travels through a wormhole in space to ensure humanity's survival. Through stunning cinematography, Interstellar (possibly one of, if not the most ambitious Nolan project to date) enthrallingly demonstrates the theory of time not being linear.
Without further research, the film's twists and timeline become quite hard to comprehend halfway through, though that only makes for a greater feeling of realization when one finally understands it. Interstellar rapidly became one of the best in the space genre, sending out a very beautiful and essential message about love: as Anne Hathaway's character said, it is "the one thing that we're capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space."
2 'Tenet' (2020)
The concept of time traveling is highly confusing by itself, and Nolan managed to execute its complexity in an even more perplexing way. While some may argue that this is his worst film, there also are a couple of viewers who firmly stand by it being one of his best. What most can agree on, however, is that it is definitely one of his most puzzling movies ever.
Tenet actively explores reversing in time, which makes realizing who's been inverted, when, and how it affects other characters crucial in achieving a general understanding of the film.
1 'Memento' (2000)
Memento is one of those watches that don't promise much but consistently deliver. While it may take viewers some time to finally sit down and watch it, they will realize in no time that they should've done it sooner. Following the mind-blowing story of a man (Guy Pearce) with short-term memory loss who attempts to track down his wife's murderer, this incredible film will repeatedly screw with audiences' heads.
Christopher Nolan successfully brain-teases the audience by skillfully guiding them through the labyrinth that is Memento's fractured narrative, making it one of his best works.