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'Tenet' - Joe's Take

Updated: Sep 25, 2020

2020 I 12+ I 150mins I Dir: Christopher Nolan


Armed with only one word, Tenet, and fighting for the survival of the entire world, a Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.

I always look forward to seeing what Christopher Nolan is going to attempt next. He is certainly a filmmaker known for reinventing the blockbuster with original ideas that do not talk down to the audience which I respect greatly. I found that Tenet moves through so much detail so quickly that whilst it is no doubt amazing and needs to be seen to be believed, it is hard to keep up with it and fundamentally will need repeated viewings to be fully appreciated.


If you're already a Nolan fan then you're surely going to be in your element here. Those who struggle with his concept heavy work will likely find this too much to take in. I found the film's plot to be incredibly dense and could just about keep up with it but felt that I lost the subtlety in the story through having to jog my mind through the logistics of everything that was unfolding.


Everything that's here is brilliant but I feel an extended runtime would help to provide some down time to process things amongst all of the chaos and develop the slightly one dimensional roles that the stellar cast are elevating.


Nolan's experimental approach to the distortion of audio is something to be respected and for the most part worked incredibly well but it simply can't be excused in some scenes where vital information is impossible to hear in a film which requires your full attention.

The real star of the show here is obviously Nolan himself. His obsession with the manipulation of time has been evident throughout his career and here we get to see him tackle it head on in exciting fashion whilst continuing to push the boundaries of what can be achieved in camera with action set pieces that are easily his best to date.

A concept heavy, espionage thriller that deserves to be seen (as many times as it takes you to process it) on the big screen.



Joe Gist

Creative Director


STARRING: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

BEST QUOTE: "Don't try to understand it. Feel it"

FUN FACT: Actor Kenneth Branagh revealed that he read the screenplay for the film more times than anything else he had ever worked on due to it's puzzling nature.

IF YOU LIKED: Inception, Looper, Memento


'Tenet' Trailer


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