The Best Christopher Nolan Movies Of All Time (Ranked)
— Updated on 9 November 2023

The Best Christopher Nolan Movies Of All Time (Ranked)

— Updated on 9 November 2023
Garry Lu
WORDS BY
Garry Lu

Before we proceed, it has to be pointed out. While the headline clearly reads “best Christopher Nolan movies of all time,” this is every Christopher Nolan movie. Ranked from most groundbreaking to least groundbreaking.

Over his illustrious quarter-decade career as a director, Hollywood’s king of high-concept filmmaking has clearly favoured quality > quantity. Hence why he’s racked up countless award nominations and wins, consistently attracted A-list star talent to his projects, and generated close to $6 billion in box office revenue (making him the 7th highest-grossing director of all time).

Here’s where we landed on the talented Mr Nolan’s oeuvre.

Ranked: The Best Christopher Nolan Movies Of All Time

#12. Following (1998)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
84%
IMDB
7.5/10
M 1 hour 10 minutes
Genre: Neo-Noir/Crime Thriller
Stars:
Actors: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell, John Nolan, Dick Bradsell
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
A young writer living in London follows people in the hope of using their lives in his novels, but the hobby becomes an obsession and he soon finds himself going further than intended.

It’s almost unfair to stack this humble £6,000 indie against world-renowned blockbusters like Interstellar (2014) and Oppenheimer (2023). But it was Christopher Nolan’s debut feature. And even more importantly, it showcased early signs of the Nolan signature: manifestations of internal psychology, a non-linear narrative, as well as a twist ending. He’d also recycle the name of Alex Haw’s Cobb for another thief character — Leonardo DiCaprio‘s in Inception — and upscale a good deal of the story elements for Memento (2000).


#11. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
87%
IMDB
8.4/10
M 2 hours 45 minutes
Genre: Crime Action/Superhero
Stars:
Actors: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
It has been eight years since Batman (Christian Bale), in collusion with Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), vanished into the night. Assuming responsibility for the death of Harvey Dent, Batman sacrificed everything for what he and Gordon hoped would be the greater good. However, the arrival of a cunning cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) and a merciless terrorist named Bane (Tom Hardy) force Batman out of exile and into a battle he may not be able to win.

There’s no question why The Dark Knight Rises (2012) ranks so low. Despite the billion-dollar-grossing spectacle, Tom Hardy’s transformative performance, and the wildly impressive practical effects, it’s the weakest of both Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, and his filmography. The writing was, more often than not, eye-rollingly lacklustre in comparison to the visuals. And all in all, it just didn’t live up to the standard set by The Dark Knight (2008).


#10. Batman Begins (2005)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
85%
IMDB
8.2/10
M 2 hours 20 minutes
Genre: Crime Action/Superhero
Stars:
Actors: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
A young Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels to the Far East, where he’s trained in the martial arts by Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), a member of the mysterious League of Shadows. When Ducard reveals the League’s true purpose — the complete destruction of Gotham City — Wayne returns to Gotham intent on cleaning up the city without resorting to murder. With the help of Alfred (Michael Caine), his loyal butler, and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), a tech expert at Wayne Enterprises, Batman is born.

This is yet another film that suffers from comparison. But something has to be placed around the bottom. Batman Begins (2005) is objectively a brilliant entry that effectively revolutionised the superhero genre with its gritty + grounded change of direction post-Schumacher’s campy Batmans. Batnipples, Bat-Credit Card, and the rest.


#9. Tenet (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
69%
IMDB
7.3/10
M 2 hours 30 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action Thriller
Stars:
Actors: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
A secret agent is given a single word as his weapon and sent to prevent the onset of World War III. He must travel through time and bend the laws of nature in order to be successful in his mission.

Is it a tad convoluted? Yes, to the point of being overwritten. Is it bloody hard to hear? Also yes, but that’s arguably just as integral to the Christopher Nolan signature as practical effects. Tenet (2020) is a film that benefits from multiple viewings and proves to be greater than what you remember each time. And unless the ongoing rumours are true, it’s the closest we’ll ever get to a Nolan-directed Bond movie. The magnetic performances of John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, and Kenneth Branagh also don’t hurt.


#8. Dunkirk (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
92%
IMDB
7.8/10
M 1 hour 46 minutes
Stars:
Actors: War Thriller/Historical
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian, and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated.

Controversial opinion: I didn’t particularly enjoy Dunkirk (2017). Personally speaking, it was a gorgeously shot drag a la Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant (2015) and from my own perspective, quite possibly the least enjoyable Christopher Nolan to date. That being said, I can still recognise what a stunning technical achievement both were, which is why it isn’t ranked dead last.


#7. Inception (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
87%
IMDB
8.8/10
M 2 hours 28 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Stars:
Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a thief with the rare ability to enter people’s dreams and steal their secrets from their subconscious. His skill has made him a hot commodity in the world of corporate espionage but has also cost him everything he loves. Cobb gets a chance at redemption when he is offered a seemingly impossible task: Plant an idea in someone’s mind. If he succeeds, it will be the perfect crime, but a dangerous enemy anticipates Cobb’s every move.

You can nitpick at the script all you want. That doesn’t change the fact this was next-level storytelling complete with actual rotating corridors, a real-life MC Escher staircase, a replica steam train barrelling through the street, and an exploding alpine fortress. The full-scale approach and universe-building surrounding the concept of lucid dreaming was only rivalled by the sheer star power of a cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Ken Watanabe.

Side note: the documentary covering this production’s behind-the-scenes process is as entertaining as Inception (2010) itself… if not more so.


#7. Insomnia (2002)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
92%
IMDB
7.2/10
R18+ 1 hour 58 minutes
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Stars:
Actors: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney, Martin Donovan, Nicky Katt, Paul Dooley, Crystal Lowe, Jay Brazeau
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Veteran police detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) is sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. Forced into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse by the primary suspect Walter Finch (Robin Williams), events escalate and the detective finds his own stability dangerously threatened.

Insomnia (2002) is perhaps the most underrated Christopher Nolan flick to date. This taut psychological thriller of a remake highlighted both Al Pacino and the late Robin Williams‘ capacity for claustrophobically introspective acting; it’s a crying shame these two never shared the screen more.


#5. The Prestige (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
77%
IMDB
8.5/10
M 2 hours 10 minutes
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Stars:
Actors: High Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johannsson, Rebecca Hall
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Two friends and fellow magicians become bitter enemies after a sudden tragedy. As they devote themselves to this rivalry, they make sacrifices that bring them fame but, with terrible consequences.

Any film that casts David Bowie as Nikola Tesla and blatantly reveals the twist at the very beginning, only to have you still marvelling at the latter’s execution by the third act, is a winner in my books. It’s every part high-concept as it is psychological, wielding heartbreak like a switchblade, and elevates the original source material to all-new brooding heights. A stunning masterclass in showcasing human obsession.


#4. Oppenheimer (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
93%
IMDB
8.5/10
R18+ 3 hours
Genre: Biographical Thriller
Stars:
Actors: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
During World War II, Lieutenant General Leslie Groves Jr. (Matt Damon) appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.

There are a few directors who could’ve realistically pulled off this star-studded affair — an affair, it’s worth noting, which didn’t allow the profile of its cast members to overshadow the story at hand — and Christopher Nolan is certainly among the top of the list. This ambitious examination of J. Robert Oppenheimer, as well as the implications of developing nuclear arms, is as powerful in message as it is unforgettable in pathos. Although we probably could’ve done without all the MCU-style cameos from Tom Conti’s Albert Einstein.


#3. The Dark Knight (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
94%
IMDB
9/10
M 2 hours 32 minutes
Genre: Crime Action/Superhero
Stars:
Actors: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
With the help of allies Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City. But when a vile young criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) suddenly throws the town into chaos, the caped Crusader begins to tread a fine line between heroism and vigilantism.

Almost zero explanation is required for why it’s this high. Although one may be required for why it isn’t higher. Where Batman Begins (2005) changed the game, The Dark Knight (2008) redefined it and set a lofty expectation that has yet to be exceeded by any other within the genre. Bale kills it. The late Heath Ledger kills it. Aaron Eckhart kills it. F**k it… everyone kills it.


#2. Interstellar (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
73%
IMDB
8.7/10
M 2 hours 49 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi Epic
Stars:
Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Bill Irwin, Michael Caine
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
In Earth’s future, a global crop blight and second Dust Bowl are slowly rendering the planet uninhabitable. Professor Brand (Michael Caine), a brilliant NASA physicist, is working on plans to save mankind by transporting Earth’s population to a new home via a wormhole. But first, Brand must send former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and a team of researchers through the wormhole and across the galaxy to find out which of three planets could be mankind’s new home.

If I only had one opportunity to demonstrate blockbuster cinema in all its glory with a single film, I think it’d have to be Interstellar (2014). As bold as it may be to claim, this is — in my eyes — modern film’s answer to its direct predecessor in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968); with a rare touch of heartfelt sentimentality in what is otherwise a rather cynical body of work. Hands down the most emotional Christopher Nolan movie by a country mile. The only reason it’s not #1 is because the fourth dimension is — groan — love.


#1. Memento (2000)

Rotten Tomatoes Score
94%
IMDB
8.4/10
MA15+ 1 hour 53 minutes
Genre: Neo-Noir Mystery/Psychological Thriller
Stars:
Actors: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Leonard (Guy Pearce) is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty, however, of locating his wife’s killer is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he’s going, or why.

It’s the one that put Christopher Nolan on the map — and for very good reason. With a paltry sub-$10 million production budget, ingenious writing (adapted from his brother Jonathan Nolan’s short story Memento Mori), and just a handful of heavyweight screen players, the man crafted an incredibly memorable film for the ages. One that proves even if you take away his expensive bag of tricks, large-scale practical effects sequences and all, he can still keep us all hooked. Even the United States Library of Congress has deemed it “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” enough for preservation within the National Film Registry.


There’s more where that came from. Find out what we’ve ranked as the 10 best Al Pacino movies of all time plus the 101 best action movies of all time.

If you agree/disagree with our picks for the best Christopher Nolan movies of all time, sound off in the comments with where you think we went wrong.

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Best Christopher Nolan Movies — Frequently Asked Questions

What is Christopher Nolan's best film?

According to both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, Christopher Nolan’s best film is The Dark Knight (94% | 9/10). But according to Boss Hunting, it has to be Memento.

What is Christopher Nolan's highest-grossing film?

Christopher Nolan’s highest-grossing film is The Dark Knight Rises at $1.082 billion, followed closely by The Dark Knight at $1.006 billion.

What is Christopher Nolan's most underrated movie?

Christopher Nolan’s most underrated movie, due to the lack of mentions whenever the conversation involves his work, has to be Insomnia starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams.

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Garry Lu
WORDS by
After stretching his legs with companies such as The Motley Fool and the odd marketing agency, Garry joined Boss Hunting in 2019 as a fully-fledged Content Specialist. In 2021, he was promoted to News Editor. Garry proudly retains a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, black bruises from Muay Thai, as well as a black belt in all things pop culture. Drop him a line at [email protected]

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