Watching Tenet (2020): It's All About the Algorithms, Baby

https://youtu.be/LdOM0x0XDMo

One of the first films I went to see after cinemas started to ease out of Lockdown in the UK. Such a treat to see something new! I love a thriller - problem is that real life is starting more and more to resemble a thriller. Very now - with lots of mentions of algorithms and the 'science', Tenet is like watching atleast four movies in one - thriller; political eco-disaster movie; time travel; James Bond! Even a bit John Le Carre, starting off with grainy, bleached shots and resembling those violent Cold War or 1970s cop shows - bit Professionals/The Sweeney, bit Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy at the start. Visually, it's an audience wow factor when the film suddenly jumps from grainy, bleached out shots to full on colour and all those pre-social distancing cities. It feels fresh - partly cos the lack of green screen, partly the locations, the cinematography and the actors bring a new energy to it.

Amazingly there really is very little green screen in this - it's mostly real bangs going bang! (including a real plane inna a real airport!) and Christopher Nolan puts his actors through it. Sadly missing a Hans Zimmer score, it looks really beautiful with multiple global locations, and I defy you to predict the ending - never saw that coming! Totally giving James Bond a run for his money, and wonderful to see Michael Caine in action, I trust that no orchestras, staches of art or concert venues were harmed in the making of this movie...Kenneth Brannagh is terrifying - one minute hammy with a 'vussian' gangster accent - then suddenly switching to menacing and chilling; the change of gear is a jolt to the audience and a hint of things to come. Great also to see Robert Pattinson being allowed to act and not in a predictable role either.

Personally. I'd love to see the hipster soldier in the beard and beanie and Robert Pattinson being given their own spin off movie, but wait and see... It does feel very much like 2020; the documentary, but the vision! Nolan's imagination! Pompeii!!! I was concerned at how the domestic violence was going to be handled but it was portrayed with complexity and without voyeurism; Nolan has a few tricks up his sleeve for an abused wife fighting back. To add - the diversity of the cast is enjoyable without being clunky - for example, an older, female arms dealer?!!! Not sure this is the social equality I was looking for, but this is a movie of the unexpected....

Also enjoyed watching Inception when cinemas opened up again and celebrating it's 10th birthday. Never enjoyed it or got it until now - but it is the perfect thriller for 2020, in it's covering of fake news, worlds within worlds, questioning of realities and paranoia. Also, that score!!!!!! Finally, I get its fascination! (Tho wish it hadn't taken a world wide pandemic to make me appreciate this film).