Finnegan On Films: ‘Tenet’ Delivers A Rollercoaster Ride For Cinemagoers

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James Finnegan says ‘Tenet’ is right up there with Christopher Nolan’s best work…

Welcome to the film that we seem to have been waiting for forever one and which has the hopes of the cinema world on its shoulders.

Yes, Christopher Nolan’s latest opus has arrived and you will be relieved to know, it totally lives up to Nolan’s reputation and all the expectations.

Tenet opens with a terrorist siege at the Kyiv National Opera. A CIA operative (John David Washington) is assisting a Russian effort to regain an item.

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Unfortunately, things do not go to plan — in so many ways — and the agent is recruited into a super secret organisation identified with a specific code word; Tenet (the palindrome is intentional) and an interlinked finger gesture.

From here on in, gentle reader, you are on your own for a rollercoaster ride of action and adventure.

Robert Pattinson and John David Washington in ‘Tenet’.

This is Bond plus Bourne plus The Matrix with fight scenes involving your most difficult and dangerous of opponents and car chases unlike anything I have seen before on screen.

We travel the world to exotic and unique locations, and if you have ever wondered what would happen if the pilot of your aircraft ignored the nice man with the table tennis bats giving parking directions (or is that just me?), this is the film that answers your question

However, as big, brave and bold as it is, Tenet also has subtle touches of wit as well as style and substance.

Washington, whom you will remember from “BlacKkKlansman”, is very debonair as ‘The Protagonist’, the only name his character is given.

It would be very easy to be overshadowed by the effects, but he gives a very good performance of a man trying to save the world from a fate far worse than World War Three.

His team mate is Neil, played by Robert Pattinson, who is coming into his own in this next stage of his acting career.

Again, this is a fine solid performance that helps ground the film, and comes in the week when we got our first real look of him in the forthcoming Batman film (plus Colin Farrell as the Penguin!!!).

I am looking forward to seeing how this talented actor’s career develops in the coming years.

The baddie, Andrei Sator, a Russian Oligarch, is played with relish by Kenneth Branagh.  This could have been a cartoon stereotype, but he gives the character depth.

His wife, Kat, is played by Elizabeth Debicki and their relationship provides a human catalyst for the spectacular plot.  Naturally, there is the expected Michael Caine cameo, playing as a high ranking British Intelligence officer named, amusingly, Sir Michael.

However, the true creative genius that came up with the concept, wrote, produced and directed this film is Christopher Nolan.  You may recall I wrote a few weeks ago of my admiration for this cinematic giant and this film is up there with his best work.

Just don’t pop out once the film has started because, like the roller coaster, you will never catch up. Enjoy and stay safe!

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