Tenet Review: A Mind-bending Spy Thriller

The blockbuster auteur is nearly extinct. Gone are the glory days when films could receive cultural and economic success just through their attached director. Behemoths such as Spielberg, Lucas and Coppola have either dissipated into cinema legend or continue to work and are met with a very diminished reaction in comparison to their former work. 

Christopher Nolan at the Inception Panel. Source: Doug Kline

Now, the box office trend is oriented around brands and familiarity rather than new ideas. The most successful films are created from intellectual properties of major corporations. Last year, of the top 25 films at the worldwide box office, 19 were either sequels, remakes or film adaptations of preexisting material. Of the top ten, seven of them were released by Disney. 

This is not an inherently bad predicament. These films have clearly struck a chord with audiences around the world. But with this broad acceptance comes the loss of a defining voice. Rather than functioning as a collaboration of distinct artists working under singular direction with the goal of creating a work of art, these films are instead an amalgamation of intense branding, marketing, and research to appeal to the widest demographic possible and obtain the greatest return on investment. 

Currently, there are only two directors left who are able to generate magnificent turnout just by having their name in the credits: Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan. These two directors have managed to retain their creative liberty within the studio system while also having massive audiences. The reason for this is that they have managed to refine their unique styles to such a point where they have become brands of their own while still remaining innovative. 

People watch new Tarantino films because they want to see how he implements his established style of complex, antihero characters and over the top violence. As for Nolan, his defining strength that attracts viewers is undoubtedly his sleek, realism aesthetic paired with groundbreaking spectacle and practical effects. His newest film, “Tenet,” is the most “Nolan” film yet.

The 11th film from the British director follows the protagonist–– an unnamed CIA agent played by John David Washington –– who uncovers a secret international plot to start World War III involving the manipulation of time itself. The film also stars Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki and Kenneth Branagh.

Nolan is no stranger to the concept of time and its relation to the structure of storytelling, as he has examined it in previous films such as “Inception,” “Interstellar,” and “Dunkirk.” With “Tenet,” time isn’t just an element of the film –– it's the foundation. The entirety of the story is built around what has occurred, what is occurring and what will occur, typically all at the same time. If this sounds confusing, it is. And unfortunately, watching the film just once may not clarify anything either. 

There are moments of exposition in the film that explain the theories at play but tend to be drowned out almost entirely either by Nolan’s iconic blaring score or just by their own convolution. The dialogue in general is practically inconsequential as the characters only exist to propel the narrative forward and function as toy soldiers in Nolan’s playground of technical achievements. We root for them only because the film directs us to (the main character is literally called the protagonist). The ultimate strength of the film lies within its very method of creation. 

Nolan’s illustrious reputation has given him the opportunity to pursue his unbridled vision, with a $205 million budget (his second highest behind “The Dark Knight Rises”). Using this budget, he was able to take his love for practical effects to an entirely new level. From the cracked glass of a gunshot, to the literal armies of secret agents and demolition of entire buildings, everything is accomplished with the use of intricate props, numerous extras and professional pyrotechnics. Of course, there is use of CGI and visual editing, but it is so seamless and concealed that the grounded presentation is completely preserved. The end result is a tangible and tactile, yet mind-blowing experience, leaving the viewer to ask themselves, “How did he pull it off?”

Given the current situation of cinema, it appears that the process of filmmaking has progressed to a point where only the most affluent survive. The financial risk has become so tremendous that the individual voice can no longer be counted on for guaranteed success. Therefore, repackaging successful products has become the norm to a point where when a new idea does arise, it tends to be ignored entirely in favor of the accustomed. Nolan proves with “Tenet” that the bold and experimental still has a place in the cultural landscape of modern film.