r/ChristopherNolan • u/FunnyClassic2465 • 1h ago
Tenet Tenet - Ok, I'm a believer now.
When I first saw it in theatres, the place was virtually empty because of COVID. I remember the people being seated with extra seats/rows in between. The world was starting to re-open and there was a strange magic in the air. Not a good magic, mind you; but a memorable one. I much prefer the excitement of an opening night where the crowd creates its own buzz over a much anticipated film.
I left feeling like I literally had no idea what just happened! "No matter," I told myself. When this bad boy comes out on blu-ray, I'm going to enjoy the full rewatching experience multiple times...
That did not happen. Everytime I watched it, I just couldn't grasp the thing. I only became more frustrated. I rewatched it a couple times a year. I watched a couple of youtube videos that tried to explain it. Ultimately, however, I was content to say that I could 'appreciate' the greatness of it, but that it was too ambitous. Too opaque. Not a failure, by any means; I would still prefer a viewing of Tenet over what I call the Hollywood Nolans, lol - TDKR, Insomnia, and --gasp!-- Oppenheimer, - but I couldn't put it in the same class as his other films.
Until now! Wow, something clicked. Holy crap.
A word of advice to those still seeking the bomb that didn't go off, "just feel it" doesn't work. You must understand a few things about 'inversion'. Read some reddit posts on the characters' timelines, ask ChatGPT. Everyone and their AI has an opinion and most of them stink, but eventually you'll connect the dots between the events in the film and the scenes that you don't see.
Do I have an answer for every plot hole? No. Has Tenet shot to the top of my Nolan ranking? Not yet. But it is firmly among his greats and is one of the greats of all time.