Christopher Nolan had such a perfect outsider journey into Hollywood filmmaking, he makes transforming into one of the world’s foremost A-list directors look simple. First, you make your requisite black-and-white feature debut for less than a half-million dollars (Following) in England. Then you come over to America, put together an inventive, almost revolutionary indie (Memento), which gets you invited into the big studio system for Insomnia, where two seasoned pros like Robin Williams and Al Pacino can recognize an up-and-coming talent and agree to star. Then, boom: You’re good to go in your new career as a rising director.
For Nolan, the next step up was a surprising move at the time: Resurrecting Bruce Wayne for Batman Begins, whose big-screen reputation had been trashed by Batman & Robin. With The Prestige, he really began to establish himself as a brand and icon whose pictures you can rely on to feature slick-as-ice style, heavy dollops of science fiction, mind-warping concepts and resolutions, and a growing repertoire of actors to fulfill his vision. Inception and Interstellar certainly fit this mold, while The Dark Knight (and its Rises sequel, to an extent) revolutionized comic book movies and pop culture fandom. And lest we think he forgot his roots, Dunkirk was a worthy movie monument to the WWII military evacuation’s inspirational stature within British society.
2020’s Tenet was a bellwether to test the lockdown winds. Its release was controversial and helped sever Nolan’s working relationship with Warner Bros. Now, he has his Oppenheimer biopic at Universal, which currently is his top film. We’re ranking all Christopher Nolan movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
#1
Adjusted Score: 107385%
Critics Consensus: Dark, complex, and unforgettable, The Dark Knight succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film, but as a richly thrilling crime saga.
#2
Adjusted Score: 107329%
Critics Consensus: Oppenheimer marks another engrossing achievement from Christopher Nolan that benefits from Murphy’s tour-de-force performance and stunning visuals.
#3
Adjusted Score: 99319%
Critics Consensus: Christopher Nolan skillfully guides the audience through Memento’s fractured narrative, seeping his film in existential dread.
#4
Adjusted Score: 125329%
Critics Consensus: Dunkirk serves up emotionally satisfying spectacle, delivered by a writer-director in full command of his craft and brought to life by a gifted ensemble cast that honors the fact-based story.
#5
Adjusted Score: 98422%
Critics Consensus: Driven by Al Pacino and Robin Williams’ performances, Insomnia is a smart and riveting psychological drama.
#6
Adjusted Score: 102310%
Critics Consensus: The Dark Knight Rises is an ambitious, thoughtful, and potent action film that concludes Christopher Nolan’s franchise in spectacular fashion.
#7
Adjusted Score: 101019%
Critics Consensus: Smart, innovative, and thrilling, Inception is that rare summer blockbuster that succeeds viscerally as well as intellectually.
#8
Adjusted Score: 95046%
Critics Consensus: Brooding and dark, but also exciting and smart, Batman Begins is a film that understands the essence of one of the definitive superheroes.
#9
Adjusted Score: 83340%
Critics Consensus: Full of twists and turns, The Prestige is a dazzling period piece that never stops challenging the audience.
#10
Adjusted Score: 88234%
Critics Consensus: Interstellar represents more of the thrilling, thought-provoking, and visually resplendent filmmaking moviegoers have come to expect from writer-director Christopher Nolan, even if its intellectual reach somewhat exceeds its grasp.
#11
Adjusted Score: 83968%
Critics Consensus: Super brief but efficient, Following represents director Christopher Nolan’s burgeoning talent in tight filmmaking and hard-edge noir.
#12
Adjusted Score: 93262%
Critics Consensus: A visually dazzling puzzle for film lovers to unlock, Tenet serves up all the cerebral spectacle audiences expect from a Christopher Nolan production.