Christopher Nolan is the acclaimed writer and director of films such as Inception, Dunkirk, and The Dark Knight–all of which have been interestingly unique in the world of cinema. If you’re familiar with Nolan’s works, you know that he has a way of manipulating his viewers and allowing them to think one thing while something else entirely is occurring. His dialogue and visuals trouble the minds of viewers and force them on a trajectory of misunderstanding, chaos, and brilliance. Those of you that are familiar with these aforementioned films (or any of Nolan’s other films for that matter) fully expected something similar when viewing Tenet for the first time–and that’s just what the world gets.
A man known only as The Protagonist (John David Washington) is recruited by a mysterious agency for a mission of global proportions. Using a technique known as “time inversion” The Protagonist and his new group of cohorts must stop a Russian oligarch from starting World War III. Time is changing and the organization known as Tenet possesses the ability to use that to their advantage–but that race against time will be far more challenging than anyone could expect.
Inception, through all of its brilliance, was one of the most confusing films of all time. Regardless of the fact that I basically understand what transpired and I loved the film, I’m certain that there are still aspects of that film that I don’t fully comprehend. Tenet is the same way–and I can guarantee that I don’t have a firm grasp on all that occurred throughout the course of the film. With that being said, part of the confusion comes from the fact that time is always changing–sometimes it moves in a linear fashion, and other times it seems to be moving in reverse. If I’m being honest, I believe that Nolan wanted to make Tenet as confusing as possible in order to keep viewers on their toes, incapable of becoming settled or complacent at any point. In order to capture the essence of the film, the cinematography and the editing process have to be, well, perfect. They are just that.
The cinematography is beautiful–and that is in part due to the fact that every single scene is choreographed to perfection. Washington is something special (and I promised myself I wouldn’t do this out of respect for the young actor), but, like his father, he possesses everything necessary to be successful. Throughout the course of the film Washington is tasked with bringing to life vibrant action sequences and heart-thumping fun–and he’s successful in each and every moment. Obviously the necessary scenes weren’t filmed in reverse (at least I’d assume that they weren’t), but the way in which Washington acts and the final product has been pieced together to create one fluid experience is uncanny. Tenet is twisted–and everything is captured exceptionally well, roping in viewers and exposing them to one of the greatest cinematic spectacles that I’ve ever seen.
Like Washington, Kenneth Branagh (Sator) is a superb actor, but Branagh feels out of place. He plays the aforementioned Russian oligarch, and while he does become menacing and his accent is near perfect, aesthetically he appears as if he doesn’t belong in this role.
Tenet is unique for sure, and I genuinely appreciate the film’s concept, but there are points when it almost feels as if the concept is incomplete. There’s even a point toward the beginning of the film between The Protagonist and Barbara (Clémence Poésy) when Barbara says (and I may be paraphrasing a bit) “don’t try to understand…” The reality is that Nolan’s idea about bending and manipulating time feels like it has so much potential, and Tenet truly is so much fun, but there’s a piece missing that would have better solidified that idea. There’s clearly a hole in the development of the idea (not necessarily the film), and while Tenet doesn’t necessarily suffer as a result, it’s clear that something is missing.
Tenet is groundbreaking and completely unlike anything viewers have seen from Hollywood in the past. Nolan is a great mind, and his concepts are often off the beaten path, but there’s something missing here. Whether intentional or not, or maybe it’s because Nolan wasn’t entirely sure how to wrap things up–the concept of Tenet is slightly flawed. Beyond the shear concept, Tenet is action packed, well-acted, and a genuinely good time. From the opening moments, even in the most confusing instances, Tenet delivers a story of epic proportions, making it one of the best films of 2020.
Written & Directed by Christopher Nolan.
Starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Himesh Patel, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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