David Fincher, the prince of gloom, takes against Christopher Nolan, the patron saint of blockbusters, in the greatest gladiator fight in cinematic history.
You have a master craftsman of the highest grade on one end of the spectrum. David Fincher uses both a camera and a chisel to shape his films with uncanny accuracy. He is a talented artist. He is a logical thinker.
On the other hand, there’s a visionary who excels at combining complexity and simplicity. The ivory tower of Christopher Nolan is built on a foundation of lofty notions. Among filmmakers, he is a futurist. He is a fantasist.
Fincher and Nolan appear to be the same on the surface in that they are both film directors, but they don’t work on the same level. They don’t even compete in the same sport.
Fincher is a ruthless cynic, and his films are milestones in his effort to expose humanity’s, evil heart. He is a master of setting the mood and creating an ambiance. His characters, like him, trade-in accuracy.
Nolan bases all of his work on a single broad concept, and his films serve as milestones in his attempt to elevate blockbuster filmmaking. He is a master of scale and ambition. He makes a living off evoking awe and wonder.
A Craftsman and a Visionary
Fincher and Nolan are, in many ways, heir apparent to Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.
There is simply no other director in the world who routinely makes inventive and engaging blockbusters that aspire to be more than your standard popcorn fare. Nolan is beloved because he has harmonized consistency, complexity, accessibility, entertainment, and engagement – there is simply no other director in the world who routinely makes inventive and engaging blockbusters that aspire to be more than your standard popcorn fare.
He accomplishes this without alienating his viewers. He, on the other hand, makes them feel intellectually powerful. The majority of Nolan’s films are technically complicated, but they lack the same level of thematic depth as his colleagues’ work. Fincher, on the other hand, is a man consumed by his zeal for authenticity.
David Fincher is exceptional both as a director and as a writer. There’s a good case to be made that Nolan is a greater director than Fincher, which he clearly is because Fincher isn’t.
Fincher, on the other hand, is a master director. Nolan is certain to win countless other directing competitions, but he is little more than a kite dancing in a hurricane when it comes to Fincher. He was doomed from the start.
Fincher’s body of work is impressive. Fight Club and Se7en haven’t aged a day. To this day, they remain engrossing thrillers.
Zodiac, Fincher’s Delectable Oeuvre, is one of the best films of the twenty-first century.
Zodiac is a masterfully created tale of obsession and how the chase for the killer completely dominates the lives of the film’s three main characters, despite the fact that it is nominally a taut procedural about the said manhunt. It’s quiet, sumptuously ambient, and unsettling all at once.
And it wouldn’t have been that way if Fincher hadn’t used his excessively meticulous tactics. He is a pedant in the greatest sense of the word.
Even his less successful films, such as Gone Girl and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, are engrossing. Fincher can’t possibly be uninteresting. As a director of actors, he is unrivaled.
Then there’s The Social Network, which is a masterpiece. Even by Aaron Sorkin’s standards, the script is extremely verbose. The film is bursting at the seams with intensity, thanks to Fincher’s amazing visual elegance.
The Social Network was not only well-made; it was also a combustible and inspired cinema, a work of breathtaking workmanship.
The Social Network was a genuinely wonderful partnership between writer and director, a searing and soaring symphony of Sorkin’s dynamic dialogue and Fincher’s astonishing perfection.
Se7en, Zodiac, and The Social Network are near-flawless films that are brilliantly timed, superbly acted, magnificently scored, and relentlessly entertaining. His other works aren’t half awful, either. Instruments are played by musicians. Christopher Nolan is an extraordinary musician. In his row, he is the best.
But what about David Fincher?
Fincher is the conductor of the orchestra. He is a master in his craft.
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