Tenet (2020) Dir: Christopher Nolan
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At the time of posting, this is the latest film to be written and directed by Christopher Nolan, whom is widely considered to be one of the best directors of this generation, if not ever.
The narrative, in typically Nolan-esque style, is pretty complex - and if you're not paying attention, it could be easy to lose track of what's happening.
Even though I managed to keep up, I think, I still felt the need to research an explanation for the story, just to make sure I hadn't missed something.
It is far more intricate than Inception, which itself is considered to be confusing by many. That said, the ending brings the story together, and a second watch should bring a new experience for the viewer with a fresh and informed perspective.
Nolan's films are known for their epic visuals, and this continues that form with a number of stunning and unique scenes which test the audience's comprehension of what's on the screen.
A man who I'm growing to be a huge fan of; John David Washington, stars here as the film's protagonist. He is phenomenal here - I love his delivery of dialogue and the chemistry he shares with his colleagues is highly commendable.
Robert Pattinson, who has reinvented himself and built a sterling legacy after the much maligned Twilight saga, performs excellently here in what is one of the key supporting roles. I thoroughly enjoyed him here, particularly in the second half of the film.
Elizabeth Debicki plays the other key supporting character here - she shows great variety in her ability to display emotions and has good chemistry with Washington in particular.
Another noteworthy performance comes from Kenneth Branagh, who curates a very interesting, if not totally unique antagonist that requires a consistent level of commitment that Branagh more than delivers on.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson kind of just appears in the film, only explained later, but regardless, he provides a solid, if not overly memorable performance - although, I think that is more of a criticism of the character than the actor.
Finally, I'll give mentions to Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Clémence Poésy and Himesh Patel, who might have had very little screentime, but were memorable nonetheless.
Overall, this was a rather convoluted, if still remarkably compelling, sci-fi action film that uses some excellent set-pieces and an intriguing premise to form an immense spectacle that has far more positives than negatives.
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