TENET (ENGLISH) (2020)

In Tenet, Nolan has borrowed several template elements from the universe of James Bond - dapper spies trying to save the world from total annihilation by megalomaniac super-villains, astounding action set pieces in exotic locations, tongue-in-cheek humour and not to forget - the damsel in distress to be rescued. Into this mix, Nolan injects his favourite narrative concoction of reality bending time inversion which sees people and objects moving forward and backward in time simultaneously.

While complex stories re-arranging the notions of reality and time are par for the course in most Nolan flicks, with Tenet, he seems to have outdone himself. The narrative demands one to be fully immersed into its inversion mechanics and to the details that are densely packed in each frame. Nevertheless, it is highly likely that most of us might have to depend on repeated viewings along with the explainers on the web if one wishes to make clear sense of the proceedings. 

As with any Nolan movie, the staging of the entire movie is expectedly grand with Hoytema's magnificent cinematography and pulsating score from first time collaborator Ludwig Göransson (no Hans Zimmer). However, it is Nolan's writing that is under-cooked here. especially the portion involving Debicki seeking to escape with her son from the clutches of abusive arms-dealer husband Branagh. Consequently, we are not interested enough in their fates and how the same gets entangled with the mission of our protagonist. The long talkie portions -  which are strangely muffled - where the characters try to explain stuff to one another does not help either and dial down the momentum of the rest of the narrative. 

What works brilliantly are the exhilarating action set pieces which are deeply embedded in those excruciatingly difficult-to-fathom sequences. The performances across the board are good to great. Leading from the front in a neo-Bond-esque avatar is John David Washington who carries the entire movie convincingly as "the protagonist" and along with Robert Pattinson, makes a fine tag team oozing suave and bromance. The supporting cast consisting of radiant Elizabeth Debicki, elegant Dimple Kapadia, Kenneth Branagh embodying malignant menace and the ever dependable Michael Caine making his mark in a single sequence deliver competent performances. 

With Tenet, Nolan reinforces his place as an ace auteur awing us with his audacious artistry and mastery over the medium as he redefines the big screen blitz with his spectacular show. He captivates you with his superlative craft and in equal measure, confounds you with his complex plot lines from an enigmatic narrative. Tenet begins with an extraordinary sequence at an opera venue. After watching the movie, one gets a feeling that perhaps Tenet is Nolan's operatic self- indulgence - his attempted magnum opus which seeks to blend the genres of spy thrillers with his own reality bending time travel sagas.

What you make off Tenet would depend on what you expect from Nolan. If you are fine with just mind blowing big screen experience in a breathtaking action saga, you might be getting a good bargain and possibly, enough bang for your buck. On the other hand, if you are a fan who seeks your action movies to be engaging at an emotional level too, you might find it a tad underwhelming - a spellbinding spectacle sans the sinews of affective sentiments - and a bit exhausting too.

There was never any doubt that Nolan is among the modern greats and Tenet is indeed a brilliant feat. Alas, if only it could've been more felt.

A NOLAN INDULGENCE !

RATING - 3.5/5