Christopher Nolan has consistently delivered some of my favorite movies in recent years. From Memento to Dunkirk, I’ve yet to find a film of his that I didn't enjoy, so expectations are always high when he releases something new. The global pandemic led to the closure of movie theaters worldwide, but thankfully, some countries reopened them, including where I live. My IMAX screening of Tenet marked my first theater visit since February! As someone who strongly believes in the cinematic experience, I’ll always remember returning to a place that holds a special significance for me, regardless of what I thought about the movie itself. Still, leaving that massive screen behind with a positive feeling made it an even more memorable day. Nowadays, people seem to find fault with everything, particularly on social media. So, I wasn’t surprised when the “savior of cinema” tagline generated so much criticism. Nolan already had his detractors, and this campaign likely added a few more. As for me, I view it as just another marketing tactic: intended to build excitement around the film. I don't really understand why this particular publicity caused such controversy. Obviously, calling Nolan the "savior of cinema" doesn’t mean he’s going to rescue theaters from closing. It’s simply a tagline designed to encourage people to see Tenet. If there’s a movie that deserves to be experienced on the biggest screen possible, it's this one. Let’s address the outstanding technical achievements first. Inception and Interstellar featured impressive visuals, but Tenet rises to meet that challenge. Nolan delivers captivating action sequences built around a mind-bending concept of time, with uniquely complex and grand set pieces that will leave nearly every viewer trying to figure out what's happening. I lost count of how many times I strained to see (and understand) everything unfolding on screen. Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography uses a handheld camera for much of the action, and his skill allows him to capture some of the most striking moments in recent years through beautiful angles and a steady hand. Nolan mentioned that Tenet would be "the hardest movie to cut" for any editor. Jennifer Lame's editing is crucial to the time inversion sequences. It’s easy to imagine how difficult her job must have been. She maintains remarkable consistency throughout, with perfectly timed cuts that enhance even the simplest scenes. I wish I could provide more specifics, but to avoid spoilers, I’ll just say she has many nominations coming, including for an Academy Award. Ludwig Göransson's score is powerfully effective and contributes significantly to the impressive action set pieces, especially in the third act. Finally, Nathan Crowley (production designer) creates such a realistic look that it almost made me believe this could actually happen in real life. CGI has advanced considerably, and it’s undoubtedly a tool that can transform films into something incredible when used properly. However, practical effects will always offer a feeling that's impossible to replicate through computer-generated imagery. It’s probably the aspect I appreciate most about this movie: its extensive use of practical effects and real stunts. This grounds the physics-defying premise in a sense of realism, thanks to the talented people working in the technical departments. Regarding the story... that's where things get complicated. To be honest, I found it surprisingly easy to follow and not as challenging to understand as expected. That’s not to say it isn’t a remarkably complex narrative with ideas that some viewers will find difficult to grasp. I’m not trying to imply anyone is unintelligent; rather, some people may leave the theater without fully understanding what they just witnessed simply because it's a two-and-a-half-hour movie packed with detailed explanations of a fictional quantum physics concept. For example, similar to how some individuals struggle with 3D perception, others will also have difficulty distinguishing the inverted sequences visually. The need for discretion about plot details prevents me from elaborating further, but the unique concept Nolan develops in Tenet is undeniably an exceptionally intriguing idea. Surprisingly, I found the visuals more confusing than the scientific explanations themselves. Unfortunately, that's one of my main issues with the film. Throughout the entire runtime, there’s a heavy load of exposition about the time manipulation. It’s a lot of information for anyone to remember every single detail. Even worse, some dialogue exchanges feel so forced that it’s as if the movie pauses briefly for characters to explain something directly to the audience. This point leads me to another problem. John David Washington improves with each scene, but he feels like a go-between for the film and the audience during the first half of the movie. His dialogue consists largely of asking questions about what's happening and how time inversion functions, which is understandable given his character’s situation, but the delivery of these conversations lacks spontaneity. It really feels as though someone said "Action!", the actors delivered their lines, and then that same person said “Cut!”. Washington isn't a widely recognized actor (Ballers, BlackKklansman), and this marks his first major blockbuster role, so his inexperience didn’t help him navigate these moments. He ultimately proves to be a decent protagonist (no pun intended). Robert Pattinson is charming and quite funny, actually. I anticipated the “humorless” review headlines, but surprisingly, it's much funnier than I thought it would be. His character plays a vital role in the story, and through him, most of the knowledge about the intricate concept at hand is revealed. Elizabeth Debicki is probably the standout performer, though. With an impressive performance, she embodies the emotional arc of the film and delivers one of her best portrayals to date. I was concerned that her storyline would devolve into a contrived romance, but fortunately, it only helped develop Washington's character traits. On the other hand, Kenneth Branagh portrays a stereotypical Russian villain with generic motivations that feels too formulaic for such an innovative movie. But ultimately, that’s what Nolan delivers. His remarkable talent as a director and his attention to detail as a writer make Tenet a flawed yet impressive film with a concept that may be the most challenging he's ever attempted to execute. As long as audiences can suspend their disbelief and enter a completely new world with different mechanisms and rules, it will be the so-called "blockbuster of the summer" that everyone deserves this year. All in all, Tenet undoubtedly features an incredibly complex narrative with a unique temporal concept impressively demonstrated through spectacular, loud, jaw-dropping, practical action sequences. Christopher Nolan is a masterful director and a fascinating

Source on TMDB