Tenet (2020)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Dimple Capadia

Primary genre: Science fiction

Secondary genre: Action thriller

Nominated for: Best production design, visual effects

Won: Best visual effects

"Tenet", a spiritual sequel to Christopher Nolan’s "Inception" (2010) boasts a similar catching title and time-bending visuals. But to write down in a coherent way its story would be an exercise in futility. Rest assured if you did enjoy the plot spinning tactics of "Inception", this might be right up your alley.

Carrying a more cosmopolitan flair with subtle stylistic homages to James Bond, "Tenet" tries too hard to be smart leading to an array of meddling sequences that include a reverse time gimmick while forgetting to anchor the audience somewhere. Nolan declines to follow the rules that his heavy in exposition script notes down raising a number of whys and hows in the process and attempts to retrace his muddy storytelling tactics that he employed in a much more successful degree in "Memento" (2001), "Dunkirk" (2017) and even "Interstellar" (2014).

The film is populated (surprisingly) by charisma-free one dimensional characters with no emotional development bearing only a singular task: to deliver copious amounts of exposition. There is some talk for the end of the world and yet they seem surprisingly cool and apathetic about it, caring only for the goals the story is setting them up for. Feeling like a replica of "Inception" in terms of style, Nolan employs exactly the same gimmicks all the way up to 11 with less convincing results. Despite being able to orchestrate some impressive (and bombastic)CGI free large scale action sequences, he is not helped by an atrocious editing with multiple goofs even during a simple dinner conversation lacking a clear sense of topography. He seems more invested in the incredibly loud sound and score design that overshadows key bits of dialogue as well as in the gorgeously captured land/city scapes rather than delivering satisfying emotional outcomes. Despite a rather inventive fight corridor sequence (obvious homage to the rotating corridor one in "Inception"), the time-bending spectacle feels empty.

The cast in this one is hit and miss. Seeing Kenneth Branagh playing against type as a proper bastard with an OTT accent might bring some cinematic joy and Robert Pattinson relishes his sidekick-ish role. Elizabeth Debicki though is reduced to the typical role of an abused wife while John David Washington - called "the protagonist", has nothing to work with besides being a deus-ex-machina most of the time lacking the charisma that his famous dad has out-classed by pretty much everyone else.

“Tenet” might be ambitious but it is emotionally empty, filled with tones of exposition and one dimensional characters. A largely devoid of tension script, along with bad editing and a main hero that does not have any particular traits (besides being obsessed with the female lead) makes “Tenet” perhaps Nolan’s weakest film. While I admire its ambition to present something new, the clunky execution, tedious running time, bad dialogue, uninteresting characters, and overcapising sound mixing make this a wasted opportunity.

Nolan recycles Inception

+Cast

+Nolan attempts James Bond-ish story

+Intriguing premise

-Movie rules and music are all over the place

-Uninspiring villain

-Exposition, exposition, exposition

-Blunt main character