Tenet (2020)

The word Tenet is a palindrome. The movie Tenet is structured as a palindrome. Writer/director Nolan who has made a name for himself with "puzzle movies" like Memento, The Prestige and Inception has returned to this genre with his latest and it is as fun a puzzle as any he has laid out before us.

But as much fun as it was to try to work through what was happening, with so much being left to interpretation so much re-examining of what we thought we saw to be done on future viewings, Tenet also works strictly as an action movie. Nolan knows how to make pulse pounding action and keep his audience on the edge of our seats and for the most part, even if the more complicated elements of the film escape you, Tenet is exciting just for it's thrills and chills.

I say for the most part because in the climax "battle" there is a certain amount of energy which might be lost if the plot threads are lost. But still it's something to see.

Nolan's mixes this with his character work. His cast is strong and he gives them a lot to work with. Most of the main characters are neither cliches nor 2 dimensional, especially as we learn more about them. He has crafted a pulse pounding thriller, filled with his fascinating rich characters, and woven a complex story that demands to be rewatched, contemplated, and debated. It is the whole package. It is just what one wants from cinema when one wants more than escapism. I say more because there is plenty of escapism here. There is also just so much more.

Tenet
Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan