“Tenet”: Christopher Nolan with another time-bending hit
Maxwell Mayleben ® Editor in Chief |
I was thrilled when I realized the first movie I would get to see in a theatre since the lockdown began was a Christopher Nolan film.
Of course he does not disappoint, giving us yet another film that leaves you wondering “How did he even think of that?”
While most directors use the frame, the editing, or the colors as the paintbrush for cinematic storytelling, Nolan decided to add a new tool to his box for “Tenet”: time.
Nolan has played with time in several of his films in the past. “Dunkirk”, a WWII movie about British soldiers escaping northern France, ran the entire runtime with multiple timelines all working to converge.
“Interstellar”, a film about space travel, uses Einstein’s theory of relativity to put the character’s in situations where time passes differently than other characters.
Both of these pales in comparison to Nolan’s newest project “Tenet”. The film’s incredibly complex plot is as incredibly interesting and engaging to watch as it is difficult to follow.
Speaking from only seeing it once, I know that this film will most likely benefit from multiple viewings. So much is thrown at the viewer in rapid succession, that it feels like if you miss one thing, you may miss out on the entire movie.
That being said, the film really demonstrates how skillful and talented Nolan is at visual filmmaking. Without spoiling, the way that time is shown in this movie is absolutely stunning. The visual effects, the framing, and the action set pieces were creative beyond belief.
The acting in the movie is very well done as well. John David Washington plays confident and sure of himself while simultaneously playing it the fact that he really is just making it up as he goes along.
Robert Pattinson proved that he is back and better than ever. I really enjoyed him in Tenet. He showed that he is able to perform well in a major blockbuster action movie, something he hasn’t really done since his years playing Edward in the “Twilight” series. His performance should bring confidence in his ability to play a really good Batman.
One major complaint that I have with the movie is it’s sound mixing seemed off. Often, I would find myself really straining to hear what the actors were saying. The dialogue seemed to constantly get drowned out by the sound effects or the music, and in a movie where a clear understanding of the plot is necessary, this definitely was a negative.
The film was a huge feat in storytelling. Nolan seemingly never fails to impress audiences with an absolutely mind boggling story. Minus a few technical complaints with the sound mixing, I highly recommend checking out “Tenet”.
Header photo: This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows Elizabeth Debicki, left, and John David Washington in a scene from “Tenet.” The film, which had hoped to herald Hollywood’s return to big theatrical releases, has yet again postponed its release due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Warner Bros. said Monday that “Tenet” will not make its August 12 release date. And unlike previous delays, the studio this time didn’t announce a new target for the release of Nolan’s much-anticipated $200 million thriller. (Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros. Entertainment via AP)