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Tenet

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02:10

Tenet

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• Fantasy
• Sci-fi

• 2020
• Christopher Nolan
• 150 mins
• 12

Summary

Sci-fi adventure starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki and Kenneth Branagh. A former CIA operative is recruited to help save the world from a dangerous arms dealer who has access to a device that can reverse time. In order to foil this threat, our hero must master the act of chronological "inversion" - but is it already too late?

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IMDB

Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Emma Simmonds

"Does your head hurt yet?" asks one character of another following a particularly perplexing explanation in Christopher Nolan's mind-bender. It's a question that resonates throughout this slick, globetrotting sci-fi adventure, which is frequently as exciting as cinema gets, yet asks that you pay the strictest of attention throughout. John David Washington plays an undercover operative out to thwart the potentially apocalyptic scheme of fearsome arms dealer Kenneth Branagh, who has links to the future. Characterisation comes second to the unfolding mystery, resulting in a collection of thinly drawn enigmas, but Washington makes for an intense and physically robust lead and Elizabeth Debicki adds integrity as Branagh's terrified wife, while Robert Pattinson delivers foppish charm as a well-informed ally. Nolan directs with his typical showmanship, fusing impactful action with flashy, reality-altering special effects, while an industrial aesthetic keeps things grounded. And as Tenet rattles through hard-to-grasp concepts, any residual confusion is masked by the spectacular set pieces, turbo pacing and bristling tension, all of which is thrillingly enhanced by Ludwig Göransson's score, which thrums and thunders in an event film to savour.

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7.3/10

How to watch

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Streaming

• Netflix
• Prime Video
• NOW
• HBO Max
• Sky Store

Credits

Cast

rolenameProtagonistJohn David WashingtonNeilRobert PattinsonKatElizabeth DebickiPriyaDimple KapadiaIvesAaron JohnsonMahirHimesh PatelMichael CrosbyMichael CaineAndrei SatorKenneth BranaghBarbaraClémence Poésy

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Crew

rolenameDirectorChristopher Nolan

Details

Theatrical distributor

Warner Bros

Released on

2020-08-26

Languages

English | Norwegian | Ukrainian

Guidance

Violence, swearing

Available on

DVD

Formats

Colour

News & features about Tenet

• 
  
  What is Tenet? Meaning and background to the title
  
  The title of Christopher Nolan’s movie is itself a bit of a puzzle.

• 
  
  How is Tenet connected to Inception?
  
  Fans have long wondered if there’s a link between Christopher Nolan’s twistiest films.

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• 
  
  Tenet – who is the Protagonist, and what is his real name?
  
  The main character in Christopher Nolan's long-awaited film is known by a rather unusual moniker.

• 
  
  Christopher Nolan's Tenet earns £40 million in first weekend of release
  
  The Christopher Nolan espionage thriller has exceeded box office expectations.

• 
  
  Tenet is incredibly confusing – but maybe that’s just what cinema needs
  
  Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited time-twisting film should kickstart a new wave of incomprehensible movies, says Huw Fullerton.

• 
  
  Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson urges fans not to see Tenet in cinemas
  
  The Doctor Strange director has tweeted his fans, asking them to avoid cinemas during the pandemic.

• 
  
  When it comes to Tenet's release date, Hollywood needs to think internationally
  
  The Christopher Nolan blockbuster has suffered another delay - but should the rest of the world have to wait for US cinemas to reopen?

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• 
  
  Tenet star Elizabeth Debicki says Kenneth Branagh struggled with the "darkness" he unleashed on her
  
  The actress says "one of the nicest people on the planet" made up for on-screen abuse with off-camera gentleness.

• 
  
  Tenet ending explained: what happened in Christopher Nolan's mind-bending epic?
  
  All your questions answered about the confusing new blockbuster **CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TENET**

• 
  
  Tenet gets new release date and will debut internationally before US launch
  
  Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated movie will come to territories including the UK at the end of August.

• 
  
  Tenet: How time reversal and inversion works in the new Christopher Nolan film
  
  What is inversion? How does Tenet’s time travel work? We try to answer all…

• 
  
  The Crown casts Tenet star Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana for final two seasons
  
  The Australian actress says it's a "true privilege" to take on the key role.

• 
  
  Tom Cruise surprises fans as he attends Tenet screening in London
  
  The Mission Impossible star stopped by a London screening to watch the latest blockbuster.

• 
  
  Tickets for Tenet go on sale as UK cinemas reopen in numbers from 26th August
  
  It's hoped that the Christopher Nolan movie will single-handedly revive the UK cinema industry.

• 
  
  Cineworld plans to reopen cinemas in July for summer slate including Tenet and Mulan
  
  It was one of the biggest cinema chains forced to close due to the pandemic.

• 
  
  Tenet director Christopher Nolan says big studios need to get in the game and adapt to "new reality"
  
  The revered British film-maker believes major studios drew the "wrong conclusion" from Tenet box office.

• 
  
  Christopher Nolan's Tenet premiere delayed again
  
  Launch of the much anticipated blockbuster is still affected by COVID-19.

• 
  
  No Time To Die trailer gets the Tenet treatment - watch the James Bond action reversed in fan edit
  
  Daniel Craig has to deal with time inversion in a new fan-made trailer

• 
  
  John David Washington is tested to the limit in first-look Tenet trailer
  
  The first trailer for Christopher Nolan's upcoming action thriller sees BlackKklansman star Washington under pressure

• 
  
  10 greatest James Bond alternatives you probably missed – and not the ones you think
  
  Films that scratch that 007 itch – that you might not have thought of.

• 
  
  Christopher Nolan calls The Odyssey star Tom Holland one of the "great new young voices in cinema"
  
  Holland stars alongside Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway in the upcoming epic.

• 
  
  Is The Odyssey Christopher Nolan's best movie yet? Here's our definitive ranking
  
  Where does the director's latest film The Odyssey fit into his oeuvre?

• 
  
  How to watch The Odyssey – is it streaming?
  
  Christopher Nolan's latest has just arrived in UK cinemas.

• 
  
  Is Christopher Nolan really the man to save James Bond?
  
  Fresh rumours have suggested Nolan could be the man to direct the first film in 007's new Amazon era.

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