Solid 9/10 from me as well. I'm about to write a review tomorrow after second viewing, but I doubt the score will change. Best action movie of the 21st century so far.
Tenet NFometer
after two times i think 8.5 
10/10 from me!
Posts: 55632
Joined:
May 2010
Despite my carefully examined 6/10, I would love to watch it again soon. But since the number of cases are spiking hard here it's probably going to happen on blu-ray.
If you ask me Nolan had a little comeback with this one. After not really digging Dunkirk, I was very thrilled with this movie. However, the first thing I have to point out, and it's clear from the very first scene, is that the movie is LOUD. Very loud. Music can rumble from the speakers even during dialogue scenes, and the sound of the gunfire annoyed my sleeping wife as soon as I repeated this movie at home on blu-ray. (there, there's my inversion joke)
Fortunately the music was great, building up the tension in the film very well. The change of the composer may have turned out for the best because after two films with ticking clock-related music, now we have something different, fresher. What I could criticize a bit is that it is relentless and fast and rather not satisfying outside of the context of the movie.
When it comes to the structure of the plot, I think it's really strong after the first screening. Maybe some inaccuracies will appear to me while watching the film at home, but so far it all gels together nicely, and the film is not as difficult to follow as many online critics point it out to be. Don't get me wrong, this is undoubtedly the most complicated concept that Nolan has come up with so far! Inception is a generic blockbuster compared to Tenet, but thankfully in the end it all becomes quite clear. I only had questions about one thing that I didn't totally get at the end:
Emotionally, the film works only with the character of Kat and her suffering, learning to overcome it, and at the same time the dramatic paradox associated with it. The relationships between the other characters, however, are quite shallow. Especially when it comes to the Protagonist, who seems to be the type of person for whom the task at hand is most important, but for reasons that are not in line with his character, he often abandons it in favor of poorly defined relationships with other characters.
When it comes to action scenes, as usual, Nolan blows you away with creativity, and even scenes that didn't seem to be exciting in the trailers are very engaging in Nolan's hands. The cinematography is not one of the strengths of the film. I mean, it's not bad and it's probably one of the nicer looking movies of the year (I know, I know, it's not saying much all things considered), but I think it's the least visually interesting Nolan movie since Batman Begins. It's just that there is no wow effect with any scenery and considering the uninteresting locations I have no idea how they spent so much money on this film (I hope it was not just because of the plane since the explosion could have been easily done with CGI).
The aspect of physics was fascinating and in line with the theories of thermodynamics, or in fact accurate in contrary to its laws, showing what would happen if the impossible was in fact possible. The use of real theories is a plus, but the amount of exposition it needed is not. Here the movie suffers from the same problem Inception suffered. And yes, Tenet can be easily compared with Inception. They have a lot in common. However, while I was concerned that Tenet would be a poor man's copy of Inception, it turned out to be an equally interesting movie for different reasons, despite many of the same flaws.
So when comparing the two movies, Tenet is certainly a more interesting existential concept, although Inception had an additional meta-message to itself (the mind heist as a metaphor for making a movie inside a movie about dreams inside dreams). Inception had better cinematography and visuals, and Tenet had more engaging action sequences. Tenet requires more focus and is more fascinating, but Inception has a more emotional core with its protagonist. That's why I would give Inception a slight edge over Tenet for now, but maybe after future screenings I will change my mind. So far my rating is 8/10
And my Nolan movie rankings right now look like this:
1. The Dark Knight 10/10
2. Interstellar 10/10
3. Memento 10/10
4. The Dark Knight Rises 9/10
5. Prestige 9/10
6. Batman Begins 9/10
7. Inception 8/10
8. Tenet 8/10
9. Insomnia 7/10
10. Dunkirk 6/10
11. Following 6/10
Fortunately the music was great, building up the tension in the film very well. The change of the composer may have turned out for the best because after two films with ticking clock-related music, now we have something different, fresher. What I could criticize a bit is that it is relentless and fast and rather not satisfying outside of the context of the movie.
When it comes to the structure of the plot, I think it's really strong after the first screening. Maybe some inaccuracies will appear to me while watching the film at home, but so far it all gels together nicely, and the film is not as difficult to follow as many online critics point it out to be. Don't get me wrong, this is undoubtedly the most complicated concept that Nolan has come up with so far! Inception is a generic blockbuster compared to Tenet, but thankfully in the end it all becomes quite clear. I only had questions about one thing that I didn't totally get at the end:
When it comes to action scenes, as usual, Nolan blows you away with creativity, and even scenes that didn't seem to be exciting in the trailers are very engaging in Nolan's hands. The cinematography is not one of the strengths of the film. I mean, it's not bad and it's probably one of the nicer looking movies of the year (I know, I know, it's not saying much all things considered), but I think it's the least visually interesting Nolan movie since Batman Begins. It's just that there is no wow effect with any scenery and considering the uninteresting locations I have no idea how they spent so much money on this film (I hope it was not just because of the plane since the explosion could have been easily done with CGI).
The aspect of physics was fascinating and in line with the theories of thermodynamics, or in fact accurate in contrary to its laws, showing what would happen if the impossible was in fact possible. The use of real theories is a plus, but the amount of exposition it needed is not. Here the movie suffers from the same problem Inception suffered. And yes, Tenet can be easily compared with Inception. They have a lot in common. However, while I was concerned that Tenet would be a poor man's copy of Inception, it turned out to be an equally interesting movie for different reasons, despite many of the same flaws.
So when comparing the two movies, Tenet is certainly a more interesting existential concept, although Inception had an additional meta-message to itself (the mind heist as a metaphor for making a movie inside a movie about dreams inside dreams). Inception had better cinematography and visuals, and Tenet had more engaging action sequences. Tenet requires more focus and is more fascinating, but Inception has a more emotional core with its protagonist. That's why I would give Inception a slight edge over Tenet for now, but maybe after future screenings I will change my mind. So far my rating is 8/10
And my Nolan movie rankings right now look like this:
1. The Dark Knight 10/10
2. Interstellar 10/10
3. Memento 10/10
4. The Dark Knight Rises 9/10
5. Prestige 9/10
6. Batman Begins 9/10
7. Inception 8/10
8. Tenet 8/10
9. Insomnia 7/10
10. Dunkirk 6/10
11. Following 6/10
Last edited by LelekPL on August 29th, 2020, 2:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Posts: 1408
Joined:
July 2013
ChristNolan, whenever possible please update my score to 8.5
With every hour I'm digging this movie more.
On Tuesday I'm goin second time.
For now, very strong 8/10.
On Tuesday I'm goin second time.
For now, very strong 8/10.
After my second viewing (damn it's so better experience) it's 8/10. More viewings are coming, still need to process some things but this would be my final score.
My problem is that I'm too much excited about every new Nolan film. Not that I have too much expectations and movie doesn't live up to them. My mind is just in such a stupid state, I'm so thrilled, I don't know...
First time I was like two or tree steps behind the plot I was constantly catching up and I still knew that the story isn't THAT complicated, I felt like a moron - not great experience.
When you have a big picture it doesn't seem too much rushed at all. Sator isn't that bad (altough I do think that maybe two scenes were "too much"). But I still think in the third act there is a little too much talking (not expositions), for example from you could put something out I think.
And I'm wondering if some "people left the theatre before the end" meter wouldn't be needed
I've counted two for now.
In Nolan I trust.
My problem is that I'm too much excited about every new Nolan film. Not that I have too much expectations and movie doesn't live up to them. My mind is just in such a stupid state, I'm so thrilled, I don't know...
First time I was like two or tree steps behind the plot I was constantly catching up and I still knew that the story isn't THAT complicated, I felt like a moron - not great experience.
When you have a big picture it doesn't seem too much rushed at all. Sator isn't that bad (altough I do think that maybe two scenes were "too much"). But I still think in the third act there is a little too much talking (not expositions), for example from
And I'm wondering if some "people left the theatre before the end" meter wouldn't be needed
I've counted two for now.
In Nolan I trust.
