Tenet: Going back to the theaters, while going back in time

Review by Dylan Frazier

frazierd@findlay.edu

@dylanfrazier44

Even before COVID-19, Christopher Nolan’s latest project, Tenet, was at the top of the list as one of the most anticipated movies of 2020. Having one of my favorite newer actors, John David Washington, as the lead role with Robert Pattinson as his right-hand man, I was very pumped to see this movie. Even with a few COVID-ridden delays, Tenet has finally hit the silver screen in a huge way.

This is my third year doing these movie reviews and I almost always give a brief description of the movie, but with this one, I feel it would give far too much away. But here’s the synopsis from Metacritic :

“Armed with only one word – Tenet – and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist (John David Washington) journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real-time. Not time travel. Inversion.”

Visually, it is one of the most stunning movies I truly have ever seen. The set pieces were gorgeous, the action looked incredible, and the cinematography was top-notch. The work they did with the camera on Tenet as well as the sequences through the movie was amazing, very few movies have this level of ambition. I want to see this in theaters again just to see it all on the big screen again.

John David Washington as the Protagonist and Robert Pattinson as Neil was a great pairing to lead this film. Their banter back and forth made it a very breezy and light movie to sit through. Washington did a great job as the straight man in the movie, while Pattinson stole the show as the charismatic side-kick, it was an outstanding performance by both. They had great chemistry and I hope this isn’t the last time we see these two together in a movie.

I really do want to see this movie again, not only for the visuals but also because this truly was one of the most confusing movies I have ever seen. Did I enjoy this movie, yes I did, but the first hour felt very long and clunky. I understand that it needed to explain the plot, which was very dense, but it just requires a lot of attention otherwise you’ll be lost. So I guess if you’re looking for a turn-off-your-brain kind of movie, look elsewhere.

Even with the confusing plot and the attention it demands, the chemistry between Pattinson and Washington along with the breathtaking visuals, Tenet looks to save cinema as the director, as Christopher Nolan has stated, and I really hope it does.

The Scores

Rotten Tomatoes: 74%

IMdB: 7.9

Metacritic: 69

My Score: 87/100

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