Tenet review-Christopher Nolan’s new film is one of epic proportions

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During a conversation scene with John David Washington’s Protagonist, Clémence Poésy’s scientist says to him: “don’t try to understand it. Feel it”. In some ways, this is the most apt way to describe Christopher Nolan’s new blockbuster ‘Tenet’. When looking at each individual plot element, the film becomes frustrating as one tries to crack every one of its everchanging developments. You will be constantly asking “Who, What, Why, When, Where?”  throughout much of its 2 ½ hour runtime. It is certainly a brain fryer, one in which your mind feels the weight of Nolan’s script on your head. However, if you run with it, you will have a good time.

‘Tenet’ deals with the incoming advent of World War III, that seems to involve something called inversion (the reversal of certain objects through time). It involves a Russian billionaire Sato (Kenneth Branagh) who is using inversion for his own dubious means. The unnamed protagonist is forced to deal with this incoming threat, with the help of his handler Neil (Robert Pattinson) and Sato’s alienated wife Kat (Elizabeth Debecki).

You will find all the ingredients from Nolan’s trick bag in this. The constant motif of water, the long expository sequences, the ramblings of time, the incredible in-camera action sequences. The whole film acts as an extension of the structure of ‘Memento’, how the reversal of time factors into the subjective experience of the characters, combined with the audience’s objectivity of the narrative. These are the sort of tricks that make a Nolan detractor wince in their seats, whilst his fans leap for joy. Everything from Memento to Inception to Batman is on display here. It almost works as a “greatest hits” compilation of his work.

One may argue that it does suffer from some of the coldness that have become a characteristic of Nolan’s features (a quality that has often been said of Ridley Scott and Stanley Kubrick, his two biggest influences). Washington’s protagonist is somewhat of a blank slate. Almost nothing is revealed about who he is or where he comes from.  In some ways, it works in this tale of espionage and secrecy. Conversely, it can be hard to strike an emotional relationship with the main character. Washington does a good job with what he is given, but unfortunately, his character will not go down as one of Nolan’s most beloved creations. Fortunately, his supporting cast is given far more meat to chew on. Robert Pattinson does an excellent job delivering some of the denser monologues, as well as giving some lighthearted comedic relief. Moreover, Elizabeth Debecki delivers a career best performance and is very much the emotional crux of the film. Branagh plays perhaps Nolan’s nastiest antagonist, a character who is entirely egotistical, and made up solely of immorality. Branagh’s Russian accent is an improvement over his Poirot voice, and he does a nice job at playing foe to Washington.

Credit: Allocine.fr

It also features some of the most exciting set pieces of Nolan’s career. The hand to hand combat feels as brutal (though less gruesome) than the ‘John Wick franchise.  Some of the inverted car chases are some of the most unique and exciting of the last decade.  It shows his evolvement from the choppily edited action featured in ‘Batman Begins’ to the more fluid sequences presented here.

Nolan is often a cold and calculated filmmaker, but the technique that he and his collaborators present is undeniable. If there is one filmmaker that can get people out of their homes and back into cinemas, its him. And Tenet is a perfect reintroduction to the world of cinemas.

Tags:   christopher nolan   tenet   sci fi   action    john david washington   robert pattinson   elizabeth debecki    kenneth branagh