Tenet (2020 Film) Review

Ever the manipulator of time, Christopher Nolan has returned with an action-thriller called "Tenet," a film where the director plays with time in his most literal way yet.

Armed with only the word "Tenet" to help him prevent World War III, a Protagonist wades his way through the world of global espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.

John David Washington stars in "Tenet" as a man known simply as the Protagonist. Robert Pattinson is Neil, Elizabeth Debicki is Kat, Kenneth Branagh is Andrei Sator, Dimple Kapadia is Priya, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is Ives, Michael Caine is Sir Michael Crosby, and Himesh Patel is Mahir.

Christopher Nolan wrote and directed "Tenet" as well as co-produced the film with Emma Thomas. Ludwig Göransson composed the musical score. Warner Bros. Pictures distributed "Tenet" with Syncopy Inc.

Overall Thoughts

My love of Christopher Nolan's work has gotten me to the point where it doesn't matter what his next project is about or what cast he assembles for it. As soon as I find out that he's directing it, that film automatically becomes my most-anticipated release of the year. Such was the case for "Tenet," a film that I couldn't understand the premise of because its trailers were some of the most non-trailers ever made. Nolan has this way with marketing where you will watch the trailer for his next film, the trailer presents some idea of what the film is about, and yet you still know nothing after watching it. This, on top of the fact that it is among the first new releases to play in the theaters that have reopened, builds significant anticipation for "Tenet."

Let me tell you, to greeted with the altered opening logos, followed by a prologue filled with stunning action and thunderous music, here is a new release that, after being away from theaters so long, made me feel right at home. As much as it was frustrating to have to wait for theaters to reopen in order to see this, by golly, it was worth it. "Tenet" is a marriage of an intense high-concept plot and brilliant technical designs that push the frontier of what's possible when it comes to having physical, tangible effects. In a way, it couldn't be made by any other filmmaker because Nolan's style is part of what makes "Tenet", "Tenet."

"Tenet" is a very dense film, from a plot perspective anyway. What Nolan often does is he will assemble his plots in such a way that they require one's full attention and he'll proceed to give you information oftentimes while the characters are in the very thick of things, so there's not a moment to relax or check out. Nearly every second of "Tenet," there's something to be learned, something to help you follow along with what's happening. There are multiple threads introduced, all of them go off in their own direction, and then come back together for the end, giving you that crucial "Ah ha!" moment right as the credits are about to roll. The script mixes sharp-witted dialogue with heavy exposition seamlessly. Nolan has long established that he can make nearly any expository dialogue absolutely engrossing, so the explanations here aren't roll-your-eyes forced so much as captivating and meaningful.

Although "Tenet" is not as character-centered as Nolan's previous work, the main cast still do riveting work. John David Washington, while Bond-like in his performance at times, plays his own distinct character. As the Protagonist, Washington is altogether charismatic, intelligent, and has a way with being on top of things while still being in the dark on certain crucial information without seeming incompetent. With a name like "the Protagonist," it could've been easy to not take the character seriously, but how Washington carries himself enables him to sell the name all throughout. Robert Pattinson gives a likable and slightly irreverent personality to his character, Neil. Washington and Pattinson share ample chemistry and form an ideal duo. It helps that both their characters are able to work individually as well as a unit, helping to flesh out their characters. Elizabeth Debicki has a tricky part to play here as Kat. The actress works with her role well, however, the treatment of her character is frequently foul. Even though this foulness builds to a cathartic moment for Kat, I still wonder whether the end justified going to such a questionable place. Kenneth Branagh is chilling as the film's antagonist, Andrei Sator. The actor plays a very unhinged character, one whose anger always lies dormant within him regardless of whether it is recognized or not by those around him. Branagh's presence lends the part so much weight, and he commits to the role, somehow achieving the feat of conveying raw, unfiltered fury while still maintaining a normal composure. This is what makes Andrei Sator one of Nolan's most unsettling characters to date. I was disturbed and even frightened of him, feelings I haven't had from a Nolan villain since Heath Ledger's Joker from "The Dark Knight."

In "Tenet," every action, stunt, and effect only adds to the impact of the story. No one who gives so much effort to make this film so real and involving can ever be accused of phoning it in. I look at some other big-budget blockbusters, and they have action and effects that are utterly weightless and fake. This "Inversion" concept that Nolan has created is not only something new, it's realized in ways that surprise you with its invention. It's imagery that's completely hypnotic and will incite a desire within you to watch the film again and again, just to study how well it's executed. Recent Oscar-winner Ludwig Göransson composed the score for "Tenet" and right from the opening, his music kept me in a state of utter bliss. His music follows his own style. It's not an imitation of Hans Zimmer, who had already committed to composing the score for the upcoming "Dune" and thus was unavailable to score "Tenet." Göransson takes the urban qualities he applied to the "Creed" films and "Black Panther" and blends them with a grand and epic orchestral scope, a signature Nolan feature. Sometimes, the combination of the sound effects and music can make the dialogue tough to hear. On those occasions, Nolan could've turned the background volume down, especially because the dialogue is essential to following along with the film.

More so than any other film Christopher Nolan has made before, "Tenet" is a puzzle, a puzzle given to audiences to put together for all two and a half-hours that it lasts for. This very conscious choice may not be everyone's cup of tea. For non-Nolan fans and casual filmgoers, they may not enjoy "Tenet" as much or may even strongly dislike it. Still, as someone who could not enjoy Nolan's method of moviemaking more, I felt like "Tenet" was made for me. Although I highly recommend seeing "Tenet," I will leave it up to you whether you see it in theaters or when it's available to watch at home.

Rating: ★★★½

This has been my review of "Tenet." I hope you enjoyed it. Have you seen the film? If you have, share your thoughts in the comments below. I'm Dallin, your resident film fanatic, and I'll return soon with another review. Thank you for reading.