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(L-R) JACK CUTMORE-SCOTT, JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON and ROBERT PATTINSON in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action epic "TENET," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
There are three things to really like about Tenet: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki. All three are outstanding as the Protagonist; Neil, who's recruited to help the Protagonist take down Russian oligarch Andrei Sator, and Kat, a beautiful art appraiser, who's trapped in a loveless marriage to Sator.
The Protagonist sets out to save the world, but in order to do that, he has to go back in time -- or -- invert it. He needs to find the very elusive Sator. So, what better way to accomplish that than to go through his wife. But, Kat, naturally, is leery of the Protagonist, and if you had any run-ins with him, you'd feel precisely the same way. Sator, played by Kenneth Branagh, keeps Kat in check -- and doing exactly what he wants her to do -- by using their son as a negotiating tool. She knows that if he wants to, he has the power to yank their son away from her and she'd never find him. If you think that was confusing, you ain't seen nothing yet. Just about this whole movie is confusing!
The Protagonist enlists Neil's help -- or does he? It got confusing. But, either way, Neil comes onboard to help track down Sator. One of their first stops is in Mumbai, India, where the two go looking for someone who can put them in touch with him. In India, there's a scene where the Protagonist and Neil not only have to scale the side of a skyscraper, they also have to find a way to get back down. Now, watching them bungee 20 stories up and 20 stories down was something to see, and it's also worth noting, that both Washington and Pattinson performed those stunts; well sort of. They actually did what they call a "mini jump," but Pattinson says it was still terrifying. Their stunt doubles did the real thing.
One of their first stops is in Mumbai, India, where the two go looking for someone who can put them in touch with Sator. In India, there's a scene where the Protagonist and Neil not only have to scale the side of a skyscraper, they also have to find a way to get back down. Watching them bungee 20 stories up and 20 stories back down was certainly something to see, and it's also worth noting, that both Washington and Pattinson performed those stunts; well sort of. They actually did what they call a "mini jump," but Pattinson says it was still terrifying. What you actually see on the screen are their stunt doubles doing the real thing.
But, that's just the beginning. There are so many things going on in this movie that it was hard to keep up. So, after awhile, I found myself wondering more than a few times when the movie was going to end. And just when you think it's over, you're wrong; the movie just keeps going and going and going.
But, even though the movie was way too long and confusing, in addition to the acting, the scenery was simply spectacular. Shooting took place in seven different countries on three separate continents: from the United States to the UK, from Estonia in Eastern Europe to the Amalfi Coast of Italy, and from India to the Scandinavian countries of Denmark and Norway. The views were certainly something to be seen. So, if you do decide to go, expect to be confused and enjoy the scenery.
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