Rated 9? Must be a joke...

Rating: 6/10 (12 July 2001)

I still think that IMDB's voting system is extremely useful. Just pick some of the movies with the highest rating and you will certainly have a good time - if you don't find fine art, you will probably have a good entertainment.
So, I went to see Memento because pure 9 usually stands for masterpiece. And for the first time I was really disappointed with IMDB. Memento is just a trick movie and it's really shameless to compare it with 'Pulp Fiction'. And to rank 'Memento' higher than 'Usual Suspects' is really a crime.
The story is told backwards. Nice touch, but try to tell the same story as usual and you will find it pretty lame and flat. My biggest objection regards the way in which Leonard handles his short-term memory problem. It is really stupid to use tattoos and short handwritten notes on Polaroid photos just to keep your lost memories around... What's wrong with notebooks, computers, and diaries? You don't need to be a psychology expert to see the holes in the story. For example, it seems that short-term memory loss does not affect Leonard's capabilities to use his camera day after day (he is always perfectly aware of what it should be used for).
After the movie I read almost all of the comments posted for "Memento" (I thought: "If I didn't understand it, there are some guys out there who did!"). It was a complete waste of time. More than 95% of comments are mere compilations of superlatives, just simple conclusions without facts. Those who posted possible 'spoilers' didn't spoil a single thing (read them freely). Those who used the biggest words ("best of the best", "film making revolution"...) were *very* careful to avoid any word of explanation. It looks like they did not understand a single thing too...
...except that the story is told backwards. Big deal.
6/10