Review of Memento (2000) by Victor T — 09 Nov 2014

In 2000, Christopher Nolan wasn't the big name he is now but he managed to make a name of his own with one of the best films, if not the best, of the 2000´s: Memento.

Memento tells the story of a man named Leonard, who suffers from anterograde amnesia (which is the inability of creating new memories after the event that cause amnesia)because of a struggle between him and two men who raped and murder his wife, his only motivation in life is to hunt the second man who raped and murder his wife. Every time Leonard gets information about this man, he tattoos it in any section his body.

Every now and then, an ambitious movie with an impressive and memorable twist ending arrives like "The Usual Suspects", "Fight Club" and "The Sixth Sense", but Memento managed to become the first of these films from the new millennium. Nolan´s breakthrough counts with phenomenal performances, a little dose of actually funny jokes, memorable visuals, well written and deep characters, gorgeous cinematography, topnotch directing focused on the little details that enhance the experience, expertly executed themes and a well written and clever story filled with ambiguity in order to let the audience decide its ending. But "Memento" greatest element, and the one that makes the entire film, is the way Nolan tells his brother´s story which is both chronological and backwards; it's so creative and effective in making you feel like you are suffering Leonard's condition. Since the first five minutes, "Memento" hooks you; it makes you pay attention to every single detail on screen and keeps you on the edge of your seat to find out the reasons and consequences of Leonard's actions. On top of all that, "Memento" counts with a phenomenal and unpredictable but logical ending which is left to interpretation (like most of Nolan´s films).

Nolan´s breakthrough is undeniably a new classic and one of the best thrillers I´ve ever seen, thanks to its clever storytelling technique, well written story and jaw dropping direction. Arguably Nolan´s best film, "Memento" is a must see for any cinema lover and requires multiple viewings in order to fully appreciate its beauty.