Memento (Special Edition) [DVD] [2000]

Written and directed by the critically acclaimed Christopher Nolan (The Following, Batman Begins), while including talent such as Guy Pearce and Joe Pantoliano, this is by far the most inventive film in years. Starting with a horrific yet beautiful scene where Leonard (Pearce) kills a man in cold blood, the film begins to track events that took place before the incident. We soon discover that his actions were fuelled by the revenge for his dead wife, while a rare disorder means he is unable to keep new memories. Nolan manages to put us in Leonard's shoes by shuffling the scenes in reverse order, meaning that we too are unaware of the previous events that took place. To remind himself where he is, and what he is doing, Leonard constantly makes notes so he can carry on tracking down his wife's killer. The film quickly becomes sort of a 'why dunnit' than a 'who dunnit' by effectively taking us back through time to the story's origin. Even while having Leonard's various messages to work from, the film still manages to pull off a few suprises, ending with a truly unexpected final twist.
Apart from the addition of the director's commentary, I was actually quite disappointed with the special features in this edition. Don't be fooled by the idea that the extra two discs are full of new goodies. Because to be honest... they're not. There's about one or two more documentaries than the original edition, and an additional option where you can view the screenplay while watching the film, (very useful for budding filmmakers!). But this is hardly enough extras to fill TWO WHOLE DISKS! Considering only big-budget epics (such as 'Lord of the Rings') have enough extra features to manage this. However you may enjoy the hidden 'Easter Egg' where you can view the whole film in chronological order. Even though this feature was also included in previous editions.

I very much recommend you getting this if you haven't already. If you already own an older version however, I would advise you not to bother buying the Special Edition just for one or two extra features.

Because of Leonards condition, he is forced to make notes throughout his investigation in the form of tatoos, journal entries and notes on the back of photographs. As the film progresses, it becomes apparent that Leonard is facing a uphill battle to acheive his goals and is an easy target for those who wish to manipulate him.

The supporting cast are also excellent - Carrie Ann Moss as Natalie, a female Leonard befriends and Joe Pantoliano as Leonards friend Teddy. For many, it may not be a particularly easy movie to view due to the order that events are sequenced in the film - Leonards phone conversation is placed in between the scenes of the film which run in reverse. However, a feature on the dvd is a special edit of the film which runs in chronological order.

One of the most original and best films of the decade so far which gets better with repeated viewing (the ending will definitely leave you thinking). Memorable and highly recommended.