Christopher Nolan’s latest masterpiece, Tenet, has stunned audiences across the world since its premiere in 2020. Landing a plethora of awards nods, including an Oscar win for Best Visual Effects and nomination for Best Production, and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score, cinephiles world-over are officially hooked.
Following the Protagonist, a special agent tasked with inverting the flow of time to prevent World War III, Tenet crafts an unlikely but glorious marriage of reality and illusion. Expect a mind-altering sci-fi spy movie with an apocalyptic aesthetic.
If you’re keen to see Nolan’s most sophisticated movie to date, you’re in luck, as it’s available to stream with a NOW Cinema Membership.
From innovative visual effects to an exhilarating soundtrack, here are all the reasons why Tenet is your next must-see…
Mind-blowing visual effects
The wildest thing about this movie? The special effects that illustrate the plot’s time travel concept were mostly crafted in-camera rather than using CGI. Creating illusions of this calibre required an intense coordination of stunts, but the payoff is well worth it.
For the run time of 150 minutes you’ll feel like you’re really witnessing the thrill of fights, crashes and explosions – from catamaran chases to the lead characters scaling a skyscraper – and that’s because you are. One of the most exciting and expensive sequences is where Nolan crashes an old Boeing 747 into a building, shot at a working airport.
Tenet’s incredible effects push the boundaries of art and physics, creating a cinematic experience like no other. It’s no wonder that the movie won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
A captivating score
Best known for his work on The Mandalorian, Black Panther and Creed, Ludwig Göransson is the mastermind behind Tenet’s one-of-a-kind score. Composing for such a complex, action-packed movie is no easy feat. That said, the soundtrack manages to highlight the electrifying narrative while providing an auditory experience that’s captivating in its own right.
Right from the eery guitar-heavy opening track Rainy Night in Tallinn, the energetic, fast-paced score sets the scene and makes your heart pound. A wash of electronic sounds and distorted strings can be heard throughout with intensifying synths in Freeport, while multiple tracks were layered on top of each other to build tension for the final battle. Cleverly, the score adapts seamlessly to the movie’s mind-bending time jumps and Göransson even had an orchestra playing certain sequences backwards as time moves backwards on screen to dramatic effect.
Stunning locations
Tenet was filmed in seven countries across the globe – India, Denmark, Italy, Estonia, Norway, the UK and the US.
Some of the most impressive set pieces were filmed in Estonia, including a car chase that takes advantage of the country’s striking landscapes. Italy’s Amalfi Coast provides the Mediterranean backdrop for the yacht scenes, while India’s bustling vibrance and distinctive architecture are the setting for some of the movie’s most daring action sequences.
These breathtaking locations do more than just add to the beauty of the movie – they offer a visually dynamic experience that focuses on the international impact of a World War.
A perfect cast
Tenet’s A-list cast of actors make full use of their unique skills and abilities to elevate the movie to its iconic heights.
As the unnamed Protaganist, John David Washington brings his athletic prowess to the action, his background as a former professional American Football player giving him the dexterity to master the fast-paced stunt sequences. Washington was tasked with acting out action scenes in reverse, without any assistance from CGI – and the results are pretty incredible.
From arthouse feature The Lighthouse to comedy Western Damsel, Robert Pattinson’s performances in recent years have brought him plenty of critical acclaim. Such diverse roles prepared him for both the cerebral challenges of playing the Protagonist’s handler Neil, and the movie’s demanding physical scenes.
Elizabeth Debicki also turns in a memorable performance as Kat, the mysterious wife of the movie’s antagonist Sator. Best known for her breakout role in The Great Gatsby, Debicki’s chameleon-like ability to embody any character, whatever their background or nationality, was what caught Nolan’s eye.
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