4. Nonlinear Storytelling
"Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They're just an interpretation, they're not a record, and they're irrelevant if you have the facts" Perhaps more than anything else, Nolan is known for his effective use of time and space to structure his films, specifically in how time relates to personal identity, memories, and perception. Many times, in order to accomplish an intended effect, he will structure the film like a puzzle, jumping back and forth in time. Following begins near the end with The Young Man recanting his story to an unidentified man, and the proceeding narrative bounces around in time until it culminates in one final twist that puts all the pieces together. Sounds familiar? It should, because roughly half of Nolans filmography employs a similar structure in some form. Memento took this formula even further by having the film divided between two narratives, one told backwards, the other forwards, until the two merge to form the mind-blowing conclusion. In doing so, Nolan puts the audience firmly in Leonards perspective, giving them the same sense of lost confusion that he suffers on a regular basis. Nolan took a normal story of revenge and completely turned it on its head through emphasis on memory and subjectivity, resulting in a film that remains a prime example of the power of nonlinear storytelling. Depending on how you look at it, The Prestige may be Nolans most structurally complicated film to date. The film has both Angier and Border reaching each other's journals for the majority of the film, layering it with multiple narratives and flashbacks within flashbacks, which upon first viewing can be quite confusing. This was, of course, done purposely as a way to structure the film as a magic trick with three acts. The audience is made to think one thing is going on when something else actually is; constantly twisting and turning to throw them off. It is Nolan at what is perhaps his most unabashedly theatrical; using editing and narrative structure to achieve the effect. Like both Memento and The Prestige, Inception takes its concept and uses it to influence the way the narrative is structured. As the film deals with the nature of dreams and memory, the story itself is structured like a dream. The multiple dream levels allow for rapid and sudden cuts to radically different environments, giving the final hour the ability to snowball with tension and suspense. Time is called into question and explained, allowing for long stretches of time and many events to pass in one dream while only a single event is transpiring in another. The main story is routinely halted to allow for Cobb to recollect his tragic past, flashing back and forth in memories that aren't always wholly true. Despite telling a linear story, the nature of Inceptions concept makes it inherently nonlinear. While there was a conscious effort on the Nolans part to structure The Prestige in a nonlinear fashion, Inception couldnt be told any other way; its very concept informing the way the story is told. While the Batman films are without a doubt Nolans most traditional films, they still retain some of his nontraditional storytelling methods. Batman Begins starts out very much like a Nolan film, beginning near the middle and periodically flashing back to his early life. It is only when Bruce returns to Gotham that it becomes more like a traditional superhero film. The Dark Knight is Nolans most linear film to date, and the only one with no jump in time of any kind. He returned to form with The Dark Knight Rises, which is populated with many flashbacks ranging in length from mere seconds to several minutes. The film also jumps many months forward in time as Bruce recovers from his back injury; a curious if unsurprising narrative choice. In fact, time bounces around at a more varying rate in Nolans final Batman film than perhaps any other. At one moment a character will mention how a month has passed as the film then proceeds to slow down to an hour. On first viewing, this effect can be quite jarring, but perhaps that was the intent. When looking at how Nolan structures his films, it is clear he is interested in the way our individual perceptions affect the way we interpret the world, truth, and the passing of time, which can vary depending on circumstance. He uses it to craft labyrinthian plots and intentionally confuse the audience as a means of enhancing the power of cinema. It may be hit or miss in some cases, but it remains one of the biggest trademarks of a Christopher Nolan movie.