After a long delay due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, Christopher Nolan's newest film 'Tenet' has arrived. The film was originally due back in May and I feel that the wait was worth it for the most part, with some scars here and there.
The film stars John David Washington as a United States agent simply known throughout as 'The Protagonist'. After stopping a bomb plot at a Russian opera house, he finds himself involved with a secret group attempting to stop a crazed arms dealer (Kenneth Branagh) who has discovered a dangerous technology that can invert time before he unleashes a cataclysmic event that threatens the entire world.
'Tenet' has been a long time coming from Nolan, who first conceived of the project back in 2002 during the making of 'Insomnia' takes his love and inspiration of James Bond and other spy thrillers and mixes it with his usual unique ideas and style which in some ways can be seen as somewhat of a negative element of the film. For some, 'Tenet' will feel like a step back or what I call a 'safe' picture that one can expect from the famed director but I've always been of the opinion that not every project in someone's filmography needs to be a transcending experience. If a film is well made, well shot, well acted, and brings to the table something different then that is still a film worth watching and while 'Tenet' may not be as memorable as its cinematic cousin 'Inception', it's still an experience worth taking.
The cast is an excellent group as always with Nolan's work, with special praise to Robert Pattinson & Kenneth Branagh. John David Washington at times seems uncomfortable in the lead role, but is still a compelling character that wins you over to his side quickly. Elizabeth Debicki surprised me as she becomes the key figure in the story despite very little is shown of her character in the promotional material. The fate of the world along with many other issues in mainly on her shoulders as the estranged wife of the villain and it was nice to see that she wasn't just a damsel character.
Although I have no issues with 'Tenet' being a safe picture, it's not without its flaws. During my two viewing experiences, the volume of the sound effects were way too loud which seems to be a common criticism so my theater wasn't entirely to blame. When they're not blowing out your eardrum, the sound editing and musical score can drown out a lot of dialogue and when you need to pay attention and listen to every word for this movie, that's unacceptable. Finally, while more a nitpick than a critique the marketing for 'Tenet' does it somewhat of a disservice by implying the film's amazing time reversal choreography and editing tricks are throughout the entire running time. This is not the '007' high octane action film the trailers make you think it is and for many, that will be a negative but if you can go in knowing of its slower pace laced with some great action throughout you'll have a much better time.
'Tenet' is the kind of movie we need in a time of sadness, sickness, and disarray in the world. Movies like these can help people like myself forget about the real world and just have some peace for two hours with a popcorn and soda in hand. It may be a step back for Christopher Nolan and has some major sound editing issues, but if well executed escapism that isn't a sequel, remake, or adaptation is what you want, then look no further.
B-
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