TENET
3.5 out of 5 stars
The future and the past collide in Christopher Nolan’s high-concept, mind-bending sci-fi thriller that’s unlike anything audiences have seen before. Similar to Inception, Nolan’s infatuation with manipulating time continues and I dare you to keep up.
John David Washington holds his own as The Protagonist – a 007 replica who must save the world in style. The chemistry with his partner in crime Neil, played by Robert Pattinson, is also impressive and where most of what very little humor there is comes from. But it’s Elizabeth Debicki who makes the most of what is given as the big Russian baddie’s wife who sustains humiliating abuse so she can still see her son. There’s much more in her character’s eyes than despair, the time of her feeling helpless is over.
From the instant Tenet starts, there’s no doubt as to why Nolan wouldn’t allow it to drop on PVOD to watch from the couch. This is made for theaters and theaters only. Visually jaw-dropping action sequences and an exhilarating score by Ludwig Göransson, the groundbreaking writer-director continuously shatters expectations of the magic of moviemaking. Cerebral, confusing, and crazy – don’t hurt your head trying to dissect every move made onscreen. Sit back and merely watch in wonder.
That said, the wonder wears off just a tad. This isn’t one of Nolan’s best as there’s a noticeable emptiness in regards to his perplexing plot and the characters who are racing backwards and forwards through it. Tenet is audacious, yet lives and breathes from outstanding diversions and little else. But anyone who is reading this knows that will not stop any mask-wearing moviegoer from seeing this. Can you blame them? Nolan’s genius will always have us coming back for more.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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