Whoa!

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2003)

"Memento" is one of the more innovatively crafted movies I've seen. For starters, the story is told in reverse, the final scene of the story shown first, each scene following in reverse order. Therefore while the opening credits unfurl, you know the end result of the story. The remainder of the movie is the 'why' it occurred. This is intriguing in that previously viewed scenes become clearer and more understandable as earlier events are shown. The viewer's point of reference is constantly ping-ponging between the current scene and those he's viewed earlier.
And the plot is also very odd. It's basically a revenge story for a savage crime in which the protagonist is injured and suffers a rare form of amnesia. He can remember everything up to the crime, and from that point on, can only remember events that have occurred in the immediate 15 minutes, i.e., he has no long term memory. This makes day-to-day activities very tough, and his solutions for dealing with his infirmary are memorable.
If this isn't enough, "Memento" is a puzzle-movie in the sprit of "The Sixth Sense" and "Fight Club". After all is said and done, the final scenes (actually earliest scenes) obviate most of the assumptions you've collected. Everything is tossed on its head. I had to visit a "Memento" web site where the movie is pieced together for the confused viewer. "Memento" is a unique movie, a definite one-of-a-kind, and is highly recommended.