Christopher Nolan has gained notoriety for his critically acclaimed films like The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Interstellar and more recently, Tenet. Most of his films, from Dunkirk to his earlier works like Memento have common themes like time, and almost all of them feature breathtaking action sequences that are usually extremely unique and memorable. Christopher Nolan's films often leave audiences wondering what they just witnessed.
It's no secret that a Christopher Nolan movie is usually both highly secretive and highly anticipated, and it just goes to show that the extensively crafted action sequence pays off in making his movies the blockbusters that they are.
Inception: Mombasa
Inception is a fast-paced film, which is evident in the scene where Cobb and Eames meet in Mombasa and are chased through the streets. Topped with Hans Zimmer's incredible score, it's an epic action sequence in which Cobb uses various things in the market to take down his opponents.
Dark Knight: Batman vs The Joker
The character that stands out the most in The Dark Knight Trilogy is Batman's notorious enemy, the Joker. He's disturbing and frightening and does some horrifying things throughout the movie. Their final fight scene is tense because time is running out in order to stop the explosions around Gotham City. The fight ends in the Joker losing as he dangles from a building, poetically stating that he and Batman will probably be fighting each other forever.
Tenet: Opening Scene
Right off the bat, Tenet's opening scene is loud and incredibly tense. It sees The Protagonist taking part in a mission during a terrorist attack in an opera house where he sees inverted technology being used for the first time. It's a lot to take in but it also sets up the entire tone of the film perfectly. The movie jumps right into the action and it gets any less tense after that opening sequence.
The Dark Knight Rises: Batman vs Bane
In The Dark Knight Rises, Batman has a new challenge in the form of Bane. He's a sinister and strong villain and he doesn't hesitate to beat Batman to a pulp.
They fight on a beam, and in this situation, Bane is the stronger opponent. He really tests Bruce to the limit and injures him so severely that he cracks his mask in half and lets him get taken away
Interstellar: Mann's Betrayal
Interstellar is filled with less action based on fight scenes, but it does have a shocking reveal. Mann betrays the group and after already killing one of their team, he then attempts to kill Cooper by pushing him off a cliff edge. It's an unexpected plot twist and a great scene, where the stakes are raised even higher because of the terrain they're fighting on. It's a beautifully shot scene adn it definitely packs a punch
Batman Begins: The Train
The Dark Knight trilogy is full of intense action sequences, and one of it's best is the fight between Batman and Ra's al Ghul on the train at the end of Batman Begins. They fight until Bruce leaves Ra's al Ghul to die as the train crashes, and he releases his wings, which is one of the coolest parts of the whole movie.
Batman Begins: Bruce Wayne vs The League Of Shadows
Bruce Wayne's training with the League of Shadows finally comes into fruition when he fights them off after discovering that Ra's al Ghul intends to destroy Gotham City. The city has been infected with Scarecrow's fear gas and Batman gets toppled by citizens who believe he is a threat. The action sequences in The Dark Knight Trilogy are so impressive to watch and part of that is because of Batman's fighting style.
Inception: Hallway Fight
Inception is one of Nolan's most complex and confusing films. Set around different dream levels, it's often hard to follow unless you're focused, but it's got some amazing action sequences.
In one scene, two characters fight in a hallway, and we're reminded that because it's a dreamscape, things aren't real. The hallway starts rotating and it's incredible to watch. It's one of Nolan's best scenes and action sequences.
Tenet: The Airplane Scene
Tenet is full of grand shots that must have been expensive to film, and the airplane scene is no exception. When Neil and The Protagonist decide to purposefully crash a cargo plane into a hangar, the product is an extraordinarily loud explosion that leaves cinema seats rumbling. The planning that goes into it is impressive and it must have taken a lot of work to pull off such an epic stunt.
Tenet: The Protagonist Fights Himself
Tenet is mind-bending, and it focuses a lot on inverted technology and everything moving backward. One of the most striking scenes of the film is where we see this happening first hand. When The Protagonist has to fight a masked assailant who seems to be moving backward. It's a pretty jarring sequence to watch at first but once it is revealed that he was actually fighting the inverted version of himself and the pieces of the puzzle are put together, it easily becomes the film's best action sequence.
