Christopher Nolan: A filmmaker with soul

Stanley Kubrick was that rarest of directors who possessed a strikingly original sensibility and a boundless imagination, but who wouldn’t conform to Hollywood to increase his power base. The closest he came was “Spartacus,” probably the picture in his canon that was the least well-received (before “Eyes Wide Shut” that is), primarily because he was a gun for hire on it and had little control of it, and therefore it did not boast the recognizable Kubrickian stamp.

Of course, Kubrick hardly stands as the lone maverick in the annals of moviemaking, but over the years that particular species has become more and more endangered as the focus on corporate profits tightens the tourniquet on creativity.  Directors who can be true to themselves while placating studio bosses are the ivory-billed woodpeckers of the business: Theoretically they’re out there somewhere, but sightings are few and far between.

Martin Scorsese is among their numbers, especially after the box office success of “The Departed.” Spike Lee finally joined the ranks with “Inside Man.”

And a fairly recent addition to that category whom movie-goers are sure to hear from for years to come is Christopher Nolan, whose new film, “The Prestige,” opens this week. Nolan broke through with “Memento,” a thriller told in reverse about a man with short-term memory loss.

It was the type of debut that heralded an exciting new talent, but it also placed a “Wanted” poster on him. Studio executives, agents, producers and actors converged upon him bearing the hot project of the moment, not necessarily with regard to its creative merit.

Fortunately, Nolan resisted the impulse to parlay his smashing debut into cheesy Michael Bay-like status. He instead made his next project “Insomnia,” a remake of a Norwegian thriller that told the story of a Los Angeles police detective (Al Pacino) sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate a murder. While it fit more snugly into a mainstream niche, it nevertheless served as an opportunity for Nolan to show off his talents in depicting mood and tone and exhibiting visual ingenuity while delivering a fairly straightforward crime procedural. The major wrinkle, of course, is the inability of Pacino’s character to catch any shuteye in an area of perpetual daylight.

Second features are often perilous, because so much is expected of a director after a ballyhooed coming-out. But Nolan turned a difficult double play: He maintained his cred among the decision-makers while preserving his mojo among his peers.

But “Insomnia” was a sleepwalk in the park compared to what would come next.

Giving the Caped Crusader back his soul
The “Batman” franchise had run its course. After Tim Burton lensed his 1989 version starring Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton to generally favorable reviews,  it was a steep downhill plunge from there. Joel Schumacher’s 1997 “Batman & Robin” was especially derided, and the series appeared to be doomed to a life of prostitution.

Slideshow   Jackman of all trades Aussie actor Hugh Jackman, People magazine's 2008 Sexiest Man Alive, has made his mark in theater and film with a wide array of roles. more photos

If Nolan opted to plunge into comic-book territory and ended up with a run-of-the-mill popcorn movie, it might dampen all the excitement that “Memento” generated.

Instead, Nolan gave “Batman Begins” the kind of makeover usually reserved for homely souls on reality shows. Starring Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader and Liam Neeson as the villain, it told creator Bob Kane’s tale from the start of Batman’s development as a crime-fighter. From a filmmaking standpoint, it contained enough action and visual treats to satisfy the Hollywood movers and shakers, and it did so with almost no computer-generated effects.

More important, Nolan restored the soul of the series, a development that delighted long-suffering geeks who had watch as their beloved “Batman” had previously been reduced to a sad joke. Nolan and screenwriting partner David S. Goyer paid particular attention to detail, down to building a Batmobile from the ground up that checked in at 9 feet wide and 16 feet long and was capable of a top speed of 106 miles per hour.

Kubrick did a solid job under difficult circumstances with “Spartacus,” but he didn’t have legions of comic-book aficionados ready to pounce if he botched the assignment. Considering the pressure Nolan was under to deliver a finished product that pleased everybody, he came pretty darn close.

MORE FROM MOVIE OPINIONS

Baron Cohen fools all the people all the time

Baron Cohen fools all the people all the time Gangster films take revenge on our behalf Whatever happened to grown-ups on film? Is Ryan Reynolds just another Ken doll? Newsweek: Has Michael Moore jumped the shark? Newsvine: Who should play Mr. T's role in 'A-Team'? 10 must-see John Travolta performances Reel of fortune: Movies can’t leave Las Vegas ‘Lost’ in translation: 10 of the best lost lands Do you see what I twee? How precious   Add Movie opinions headlines to your news reader: