Memento Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Memento Blu-ray Movie Review

Christopher Nolan's mesmerizing Mystery makes for an average Blu-ray.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 20, 2009

Remember Sammy Jankis.

Any Mystery that can begin at the end, tell its story backwards, and still manage to enthrall and fascinate audiences more so than most any other film of its kind is obviously doing something right, and Christopher Nolan's (The Dark Knight) Memento is one of the best films of its kind. Told in reverse order and through flashbacks, Memento is a tale of deception, desperation, and confusion, a story of a man in search of both the man who killed his wife -- and his own identity. Despite revealing the climax of the story in the first shot, Memento saves its biggest secrets for the end of the film -- the story's starting point. Told in a linear fashion, Memento would have been just another Mystery/Thriller, though likely still interesting enough to warrant attention. Instead of delivering a straightforward picture, Nolan instead puts a novel and fascinating spin on it, by the end of the film completely redefining the entirety of the story that adds layers of complexity and thought-provoking intrigue, at once both making for a movie that is never what it seems while lending to it almost infinite replay value.

You won't remember that I just spent $600 on shoes!

Leonard (Guy Pearce, The Proposition) was once an insurance claims investigator until he attempted to foil an attack on his wife inside his own home. Leonard was knocked unconscious and awoke having retained his memories but unable to form new ones. Because of his condition, Leonard has adapted a new lifestyle that revolves around a simple system of note-taking, Polaroid photographs, and tattoos to remind him of the most important new information he comes across as he attempts to discover the man behind the attack on his wife, known to him only as "John G." Memento tells the story of one of Leonard's attempts at discovering the identity of the assailant in reverse chronological order. With the help of a man he believes to be his friend, Teddy (Joe Pantoliano, The Fugitive), and a woman Leonard hopes will help him out of sympathy, Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss, The Matrix), he slowly pieces together his cloudy past, a proposition that becomes more personal -- and more deadly -- as time goes by.

In Memento, Leonard can trust no one, let alone his own memory. His best friend becomes his handwriting and his tattoos, learning to recognize his own work, his own information, and discard deceitful and erroneous details. His life is a giant index card or Post-It note, and he comes to rely solely on his own instincts, learning to look past the superficialities of those he comes in contact with and dig deeper, into the very depths of what defines a person. Therein lies the crux of the story. Memento is a movie about knowledge, knowing not facts, figures, personalities, or even yesterday's lunch, but about life's most important aspects, those things that seem to escape everyday people. Mysteries are not revealed in the superficial details but rather in a glance, a twitch, some tell-tale sign that differentiates the boundaries between truth and deception, friend and foe. In the absence of the ability to learn new facts, Leonard gains the ability to understand himself and his world to a greater degree, to manage his life with fast but important facts, and to distinguish between the critical and the mundane, each often mistaken one for the other in ordinary life.

Memento also features an incredible assemblage of talent that brings the story to mesmerizing life. The film's trio of lead actors -- Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano, and Carrie-Anne Moss -- all deliver exceptional performances, each bringing something unique to the table but all of them ultimately playing the very same game of deception for their own benefit, though to what end is not always clear. The film's final revelation as seen at the end of the movie, which in this case serves the beginning of the story, does more to define the characters than the whole of the experience, and indeed, the true purpose behind Leonard's pursuit, at least the one told in present-time in the film, takes on an entirely new meaning by film's end, further reinforcing both the quality of the writing and the fine performance turned in by Pearce. Christopher Nolan expertly helms the picture, offsetting the flashback scenes with black-and-white imagery and often capturing the frenetic and confused nature of the plot as Leonard attempts to piece his life together minutes at a time. Finally, of note is David Julyan's (The Descent) subtle yet mesmerizing score that, too, reflects the fast-paced, confused, intermittent, and fleeting nature of Leonard's quest.

Memento is expertly penned, covering all the angles and then some, creating an intricate yet simple-to-maintain system for Leonard to keep track of his memories while simultaneously keeping the audience current and in-line with the plot and developments of the film. Of note is the story of Sammy Jankis, used both as a device that helps both the character and the audience understand the background of the Leonard character and his condition and as an important plot point at the end of the film that casts doubt on the validity of the entire story. By reversing the story, an otherwise rather mundane tale becomes a fascinating tour through a man's life as the future becomes clear during a trip through the past. Of course, like many time travel movies, though the term is loosely applied here, this one has some inconsistencies, or at least some questions and scenarios that don't make sense, at least at first, but the overall strength of the film, the quality of the story, the wonderful acting, the intense pacing, and the novelty of the experience more than make up for any perceived -- or perhaps real -- shortcomings.

Memento Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Memento is forever captured on Blu-ray with a 1080p, MPEG-2 encoded, 2.35:1-framed transfer. The image is somewhat dull, with colors that are mostly a bit muted save for the occasional splash of brighter colors, the blue accents that adorn the cheap Discount Inn where Leonard stays serving as an example. Fine detail is adequate; close-up shots of Leonrad's face reveal lines, cuts, and hair well enough, and background details -- books on shelves, building façades, and the pedestrian interior of the hotel rooms -- all offer sufficient levels of visible information. Flesh tones appear a bit rosy. The print sees a plethora of white speckles, though there is not much in the way of visible film grain at normal viewing distances. Of note is that the film is punctuated by moments of black and white imagery that set the flashback scenes from each segment of the film. Here, the transfer continues to appear slightly dull and just a bit soft, but otherwise offers up sufficient detail. Considering its status as one of the first Blu-ray releases, this one may be described as acceptable but somewhat disappointing overall.

Memento Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Memento pieces the puzzle together on Blu-ray with a good PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. Generally, this is a front-heavy and somewhat quiet soundtrack that is punctuated by many intense and short-burst sound effects. Background effects, too are clear and audible, from minor chatter heard on a car radio to insects buzzing about an old country building where the film's bookends are set. The rear channels carry little of the atmospherics, though they do come alive during the aforementioned moments sonic whirlwind. Dialogue is a bit bass-heavy in Leonard's monologues, but normal dialogue reproduction is fine. Overall, Memento's soundtrack is suitable for what it is, a quiet, almost contemplative track that is marked by short spurts of sonic intensity that deliver plenty of punch and vigor to the mix.

Memento Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Memento shares only a few secrets on Blu-ray through two supplemental features of substance. First up is a commentary track with Director Christopher Nolan. The director delivers an impressive track, sharing plenty of important and insightful details on the process of shooting and constructing the film. Nolan effortlessly discusses the complexities of the film in between the more mundane comments, though he does well to make even the more standard-fare commentary information interesting. Fans of the film and the director will likely enjoy this track a great deal. Anatomy of a Scene (480p, 25:17) is another good piece from the Sundance Channel that delves into the making of the film with plenty of cast and crew interviews as well as behind-the-scenes footage and clips from the film. Rounding out the features are 1080p trailers for Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Underworld: Evolution, and Black Hawk Down.

Memento Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Memento manages to both stimulate the brain and entertain, and the film holds up tremendously well to repeat viewings. The film is marked by an incredibly effective reverse chronology, a smart story if not one with a few holes that don't take away from the enjoyment of the experience, first-rate performances, and masterful direction by Christopher Nolan. Despite being overshadowed by the box office returns of Nolan's other films, Memento nevertheless enjoys its status as both a fan favorite and a recognized classic of modern cinema. Sony's Blu-ray release is adequate, but not nearly as good as the movie. The disc sports a decent video transfer, a good lossless soundtrack, and but a few supplements. Nevertheless, Memento comes recommended based on the quality of the film.