Averting World War III, a secret agent on a dangerous mission and the introduction of a new theory of ‘Time reversal’ is what Tenet about. If one is looking out for full on entertainment, action, hi-tech gadgets and glamorous girls like Bond films then you might be disappointed.
Armed with only one word—Tenet, and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist John David Washington journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time in in Christopher Nolan’s original sci-fi action spectacle that was filmed on location across seven countries.
Tenet has India connect with Dimple Kapadia playing a significant role that of an International arms dealer. Unlike most of the Hollywood films where India is shown as a third world country, there are scenes like on the streets in South Mumbai, a prestigious club in Colaba, Dimple Kapadia’s home in a high rise building and even on an exclusive speedboat off the Gateway of India.
More significant is that Dimple Kapadia has carried herself well throughout the film in as a dignified antagonist who is a true professional in her field.
Not time travel. Inversion. The film is all about a secret battle between present and future while trying to prevent World War III. Inversion means that one is moving backwards in time. From one’s perception the person is actually moving as normal, while rest of the world is moving in reverse.
Though film reviewing primarily is about recounting the story that the reviewer has watched on the screen and recounting its bits and pieces. It would be mature to admit that one thing is certain – Tenet would require a second viewing to fill up the blanks and some of the bits and pieces. Honestly – I wouldn’t mind it as Tenet is not about Time Travel, Nolan’s film is about time inversion.
As mathematicians and metaphysics scientists put it – this is the concept of replacing the expression for time with some equations to describe an event in which time runs backward or all the motions are reversed.
Cast of Tenet:
John David Washington as the Protagonist, a CIA agent
Robert Pattinson as Neil, the Protagonist’s handler
Kenneth Branagh as as Andrei Sator a Russian oligarch who communes with the future
Elizabeth Debicki as Kat Barton (Sator’s wife)
Dimple Kapadia as Priya the Mumbai based arms trafficker
Martin Donovan as Fay, the CIA boss
Fiona Dourif – Wheeler
Yuri Kolokolnikov – Sator’s bodyguard
Himesh Patel – Mahir, a fixer
Clémence Poésy as Barbara the scientist
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Ives the military commander
Michael Caine as Sir Michael Crosby, British Intelligence officer
Credits of Tenet:
Produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Executive Producer – Thomas Hayslip
Director of Photography – Hoyte van Hoytema
Production Designer Nathan Crowley
Editor – Jennifer Lame
Costume Designer – Jeffrey Kurland
Visual effects Supervisor – Andrew Jackson
Special effects Supervisor – Scott Fisher
Background score composer – Ludwig Göransson