Review of Memento

Introduction

Tuesday 19th March 2002 was a red-letter day for my humble little town. It was the day that my local library initiated DVD loans. I wasn`t able to make use of the service till the weekend, (Shame on me, I know) but I was still the first person to hire out Memento. Now, I have been looking forward to seeing this film for a long time, and even as I checked it out of the library I had something of a silly grin on my face. Then I watched it. Oh Dear! How am I going to review this? I have up till now had the tendency to be rather descriptive in my reviews. But having seen this film, I realise that I`ll have to be exactly the opposite. I can`t tell you anything about the story, and little else about the disc. You`ll just have to take it on trust that this thriller is one of the best made in the last ten years.

Leonard Shelby is a man who thirsts for revenge. His beloved wife was murdered in a vicious attack that left him brain damaged. He can no longer make memories. All that he experiences and does fades from his mind soon after. His last permanent recollection is the death of his wife. His only methods of recall are to make notes and tattoo information on his body. Helping him find the killer are Teddy and Natalie, two people who have agendas of their own. And that`s all that I can say about the story. Even the sleeve notes give away too much. If you buy this film, resist the temptation to read them, just watch the film.

Video

The 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is excellent, with the picture crystal clear and pin sharp. Director Christopher Nolan really sets the film noir mood well, interspersing the intense colour scenes with moody monochrome.

Audio

A DD 5.1 English track is atmospheric and well accomplished. The music by David Julyan is expressive and really sets the mood well.

Features

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LOOK AT THE EXTRAS. At least not until you have seen the film. The extras give too much away, especially the trailer. There is a decent old-fashioned interview with the director, Christopher Nolan, a refreshing change from the art of the soundbite. There is website material to do with the film, actor biographies, a Tattoo gallery, the short story, Memento Mori and the shooting script. It`s possible to watch the film with a white rabbit option to cut to the script. I must mention the Menus. They have the most innovative design I have yet seen on a DVD, excellent.

Conclusion

Guy Pearce stars as Leonard Shelby. I`ve only ever seen him in LA Confidential, another brilliant role, and of course, Neighbours. It blows my mind that he was a Mike the teacher in a cheesy soap. Mind you, there is prior precedent. Russell Crowe had a walk on part in the same soap and Ben Kingsley went from Coronation Street to Gandhi and both of them are Oscar winners. This film also stars the brilliant Joe Pantoliano as Teddy and Carrie-Anne Moss of Matrix fame as Natalie. Trust me when I say their performances are excellent, because I`m not going to describe the characters.

This film has been made famous by its subversion of narrative. The film ends and works its way back to the beginning. This is an inspired method of telling the story and makes the experience of watching the film a gripping one. The editing is tight and the story is very controlled. There is an Easter Egg that allows you to watch this film chronologically. I don`t know what effect that will have on the film, but you essentially get two films for the price of one. This film is brilliant, not only is it an education in innovative filmmaking, it`s a damn gripping story as well. My only reservation is that as in all films of this genre, repeated viewing may diminish the impact, but there could be enough in sheer complexity of plot to make up for the lack of surprise. This is an essential disc. Take my word for it, your life isn`t complete until you have seen this film. I`m going to go now and watch it again.