Nolan says identifying a device doesn't invalidate film criticism

Director Christopher Nolan has defended the use of established storytelling mechanisms in filmmaking, arguing that a common flaw in amateur criticism is the belief that identifying a narrative device invalidates its effectiveness. Nolan made the remarks in an interview with podcast host Zhong Shu, which was posted to the Chinese video platform Bilibili and released as part of the promotional tour for his latest film, "The Odyssey."

Nolan stated that a frequent critique is that characters are manipulated to make them sympathetic. He described this perspective as a fundamental flaw in film and storytelling criticism. The director explained that recognizing a storytelling mechanism does not mean it has failed. He said this represents a real problem in criticism today, where some audiences believe that if they understand why a story affects them, then the story did not work. Nolan emphasized that storytelling does not operate that way, and filmmakers must be mindful of the interaction between their intention and the audience's reception.

The director clarified that his comments were directed more at amateur criticism than professional criticism, noting that professionals tend to...