Review: Tenet (2020)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki

There's no denying this is one of the most anticipated films of 2020, and it's by Christopher Nolan, who is known for his complicated plots and unorthodox method of storytelling. I remember seeing the trailer, thinking classic Nolan is back, but after seeing the film, was it worth all the hype? I mean yeah, kind of? Don't get me wrong, it has issues, but despite it's issues, I overly enjoyed it.

The film stars John David Washington, as he bends through time to uncover and stop a threat from the future. As usual, its another complicated Nolan film with the theme of time, and I felt like it never really was explained all too well. I felt the plot was needlessly overcomplicated, and it doesn't help when the film's expositions are blanketed with it's pretty bad sound mixing. The performances were alright, but the lack of character development left no emotional depth or punch in the film.

The cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema is pretty good, and downright gorgeous at times. One of the greatest elements of the film for me, is the brilliant score by Ludwig Göransson. This is the first time since 2006, that Hans Zimmer hasn't done the score for a Nolan film. From the very beginning to the end, the music kept me engaged and entertained, and the soundtrack still plays in my head. It's only a shame I couldn't experience it in IMAX. He's not Hans Zimmer, but maybe this is the start of a new collaboration.

While it was enjoyable and the premise was an interesting, the overall execution could have been done a lot better. I would have loved to see this film in IMAX, and who knows it might have even changed my entire outlook on the film. While I think this is another impressive feat by Nolan, who again tries to push the boundaries of cinema with his intricate narratives and mind-bending visuals , it's blatant issues constrain it from being better than it actually is. Personally, I think it's a good film, but it definitely is one that doesn't fully live up to it's promise and expectations.

My rating: 7.5/10