Arts & Culture John David Washington and ‘Tenet’ arrive just in time for the holidays
November 12, 2020
By Lapacazo Sandoval
Contributing Writer
This is a period in America where millions of people seem to be holding their breath and praying to whatever God makes you feel calm, understood, and heard.
It seems to be the perfect time for the DVD/ON-DEMAND release of the film “Tenet”. The story follows a hard-working unnamed CIA agent (John David Washington) who is poised to fight an “enemy” dressed in what appears to be riot gear. In their scuffle, we notice that the CIA agent is moving forward in a timeline and his enemy is moving backward.
Questions immediately begin to flood the brain. What’s at stake? Who’s the good guy and who’s the villain? Why are they fighting?
This begins the riddle of the movie itself — what is “Tenet” exactly?
It’s the raw charisma of the CIA agent (John David Washington) that elevates this confusing mystery, thriller. He’s all business, cold-to-the-bone when dealing with a heartless Russian gangster baron (Kenneth Branagh) who arranges for dastardly deeds to occur like having a 747 smash into an airport building that houses an airlocked vault full of priceless paintings.
A fascinating concept is introduced as objects from the future move backward through time because Branagh has access to these priceless objects because he’s cutting deals with forces from the future. Got it?
Remember this comes from the mind of filmmaker Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight”, (“Memento”), and he enjoys tickling the old grey matter. People all over the world love a good mystery and enjoy putting together the pieces. We like to solve the most complex since we can’t do that with our own lives. But Nolan doesn’t let us wrap up his stories neatly. He moves in the abstract allowing his characters to move in and out of the dreamscape on different levels. It comes down to having to pay attention so perhaps Nolan is the ultimate narcissist when it comes to his work.
The climax of “Tenet” does not wrap up the story neatly. In fact, it makes it more confusing. The entire film doesn’t entirely make sense but it’s delivered with such confidence that the viewer plays along until the end. Nolan is a brilliant storyteller and fully in command of all of the toys used in the film to deliver an exhilarating ride.
“Tenet,” is a brilliant escape from the COVID madness and in sync with the feeling of the nation. Christopher Nolan understands something many of us can’t articulate, I think, and that is the wish to go back in time and make some seismic changes.
Tenet” features an international ensemble cast led by John David Washington (“BlacKkKlansman,” TV’s “Ballers”) as the Protagonist. The film also stars Robert Pattinson (the “Twilight” films, “The Lighthouse,” upcoming “The Batman”), Elizabeth Debicki (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “The Great Gatsby”), Dimple Kapadia (“Angrezi Medium”), Martin Donovan (“Ant-Man,” “Fahrenheit 451”), Fiona Dourif (“Cult of Chucky”), Yuri Kolokolnikov (“The Hitman’s Bodyguard”), Himesh Patel (“Yesterday”), Clémence Poésy (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“The Avengers: Age of Ultron”), with Michael Caine (“Inception,” “The Cider House Rules,” “The Dark Knight”) and Kenneth Branagh (“Dunkirk,” “Murder on the Orient Express”).
The film was produced by Emma Thomas and Nolan. Thomas Hayslip served as executive producer.
Nolan’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema, production designer Nathan Crowley, editor Jennifer Lame, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and special effects supervisor Scott Fisher. The score is composed by Ludwig Göransson.
4K AND BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS — Tenet” 4K UHD Combo Pack and Blu-ray contain the following special features:
Looking at the World in a New Way: The Making of “Tenet” - An hour-long exploration of the development and production of the film as told by the cast and crew.
DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French
BD Subtitles: English, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Brazilian Portuguese
Running Time: 151 minutes
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references and brief strong language.