Tenet - How High-Concept Becomes Harmful | Anatomy Of A Failure

[@gabevillarrealedits]

According to IMDb, once DiCaprio was cast, he spent quite a bit of time working with Nolan to make “Inception” more character driven and less conceptually centered, whereas with Tenet, pretty much the only person who knew what the hell was going on was Nolan himself. It seems his best work is made when he’s challenged and balanced out by his peers.

[@YuzuruA]

apparently that was also the role of this brother in the script

[@aashiv93]

Damn...really? If this is true, it proves that like George Lucas, Nolan needs someone to rein him in a little in order to get the best of him.

[@CapitalFProductions]

Watch any interview with a Tenet cast member where they’re asked about plot and they’re all just 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[@magiv4205]

@@aashiv93 Doesn't surprise me. Most good or even great directors don't stand alone. We all need others to bring out the best in us sometimes, and directors are just as human as any of us. If we keep raising directors and filmmakers to godhood, they can get full of themselves, lose their way and will stop accepting criticism because everyone told them they were perfect.

[@MAXLD]

It's interesting because if you ask most people to describe them Inception, I doubt they'll even describe his family drama as a particular key plot point or even refer it at all. I really have a bad time with this type of "if there's no family killed or at least kidnapped, there's no emotional connection by the viewer to the movie or character" argument. Almost every single movie script includes that kind of stuff, someone very close (family member, friend, dog, whatever...) in distress or dead that drives the protagonist to do what he does in the movie. Good lord... talk about cliché. It actually puts me off when I see a movie go for that easy trope to try establish character / audience connection. I mean, it's not like in the real world out there people only get stuff done if their family has been killed or kidnapped. It's fake, cheap and overused hollywood melodrama. If the movie doesn't explain enough the implications and consequences of a major plot going on, then fair enough, I'm on board with kind of discussion. But going with the "we don't understand why the protagonist is invested in this because he has no personal life drama" and/or "if he had a family member killed, then this would make more sense" arguments, it's something I really can't really agree with. Just my opinion, I respect all other points of view, including the ones I listed here and I'm aware that it's how hollywood movies work for general audiences, unfortunately.

[@cowsandwich]

"did you enjoy it?" "loved it" makes an anatomy of a failure video on it

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

Did you even watch half of the video before making this comment?

[@yanjirujan193]

Just talk to Star Wars fan about how they love the franchise but hate some of the movies

[@austinjones1084]

haven't seen the video yet but you can like a movie that's a failure- they're not mutually exclusive

[@TheBackOfTheClassroom]

@@TomEyeTheSFMguy it's a video about Tenet. The comment before watching the video is completely appropriate 😁.

[@tabaflip]

You know it's possible to notice flaws in stuff you like, right? I could write a novel about how one of my favorite movies of all time, 2004's Dawn of the Dead, has a horrible ending, most characters are shit, save for CJ, whose catch phrase "Fucking nursery school!" I use myself to this day... Etc... A normal person has the capacity to understand their subjective views, while also keep an objective view. If you can't... Well... Got bad new for you.

[@Klishar122]

Fun fact: even the actors didn’t have any clue what was going on.

[@angelabby2379]

not even acting 😵 robert and Elizabeth is great though. i dont even know the character name

[@EmpReb]

@@angelabby2379 it’s literally Protagonist

[@jc8153]

That was a theme apparentlt

[@melvinch]

Fun fact : neither do the movie-goers.

[@manea7074]

It's not only the actors even the whole crew have no fucking idea what was going on

[@MrHantz101]

The most impressive thing about this movie for me was my newfound respect for Robert Pattinson. I never watched any of the Twilight films, so my only opinion of him was a sparkly romantic vampire. But I came away from this going, "Yeah, Robert played a damn good role."

[@prathamyadav2508]

He has been incredible in all the movies he's been since Twilight.

[@MweepleSyrup]

Check out The Lightouse. His performance in that gives me hope for his upcoming Batman

[@MrHantz101]

@@MweepleSyrup I was just talking to a friend last night about that movie. Its on my watch list. You recommend it?

[@tomnorton4277]

@@MweepleSyrup Pattinson's actually a damn good actor. It's unfortunate that he was stuck in Twilight in his early career but he's proven himself a tour de force in the years since.

[@viljamtheninja]

@@MrHantz101 If you haven't seen The Lighthouse yet, then yes, watch it, definitely. It's... very different from your typical blockbuster, but it's a fantastic movie. He was also pretty good in Good Time, which I wasn't too fond of but plenty of other people are and I will say that it's very well-executed.

[@joshuaalbertwolfe9986]

My thoughts on the movie after I watched it: “It was really awesome to watch, but I had no idea what the heck was happening.”

[@Nickalzz]

I made it through 60% of it and turned to my wife and said do you have any idea what the fuck is going on? She said hell no. This movie had a lot of potential but honestly I think it’s one of the worst I’ve ever seen.

[@bobbyhillthuglife]

i defy anyone to name more than two characters’ names after having watched this movie without checking imdb

[@su_K3N]

@@bobbyhillthuglife the protagonist, Neil, Sator, and Kat

[@2kmichaeljordan438]

This movie is better if you turn your brain off. If you try to figure it out, you won’t enjoy this movie at all, it’s not fun to try to go back and try to understand it

[@hansgruber9685]

@@2kmichaeljordan438 It was boring af no matter how I watched it.

[@chickenlegsTV]

People need to realize that critiquing a movie doesn't mean it's bad at all.

[@shirubionicle]

Criticizing means it's bad, CRITIQUING doesn't.

[@themasteronhigh1665]

@@shirubionicle No, No it doesn't. you can criticize and still agree. See, just did it.

[@isekaiguy9113]

Criticism is simply a way for people who think they are smarter than others to fuel their egos. Because people will continue to love and watch shit no matter how strong the criticism is. Just look at the fans of Transformers - they are just happy and don't give a damn about the critics. The only people, who really should care about critic - are movie-makers, to learn their mistakes. The rest should don't give a shit.

[@deadschooled]

But this dog sh!+ was bad.....

[@knowdaqueen177]

@Benjamin McCann exactly some of my favorite movies are considered “bad” and I love picking apart what’s “wrong” with them just as much as I enjoy watching them.

[@emilwallraff]

This movie clearly lacks the main characters wife getting killed.

[@alexmorenoac]

that theme is inverted too: this time is the wife that kills

[@emilwallraff]

Yeah, I got it, the irony is just that the one time Nolan didn't kill the wife to make it personal, the protagonist isn't relatable enough

[@alexmorenoac]

@@emilwallraff totally agree, although for me while it was not relatble it is still somewhat likable due to the actor's charisma

[@darkdream1469]

@@emilwallraff he wasn't relatable to me too. And i think the reason for this is that, we don't know what his personal motivation/goal in this movie is.

[@emilwallraff]

@DarkDream Yes, and in every other Nolan movie this motivation evolves around the dead wife.

[@franciscodanconia4324]

Inception had a concept that you could follow. Dream within a dream within a dream. A fairly linear path. Tenet was two opposite paths going by each other at the same time. And was so hard to follow that actually following the plot was secondary. We spent an hour after the movie discussing how the time thing worked just to wrap our heads around it. And some of us still didn't get it.

[@GothamThotSlayer]

And when it's fruitless you just end up not caring about the concept. Anymore and just moved on. That's why I only saw this movie once

[@adrienperie6119]

It's really meant to be watched multiple times and each time you understand a new thing. I'm a high IQ quick witted person and it took me two viewings to feel comfortable with the concept and 3 to find out who is "Neil" which was amazing.

[@Kserijaro]

There is nothing to get. They break their own rules in the movie. Magically having access to processing facility that can field entire squads? Bunch of action that doesn't stop? Annoying ass music? "dont understand it- feel it?" Guy takes a clip with reversed bullets, loads it into a gun.... and now the gun that didn't shoot bullets in a slab, rewinds bullets into reverse clip? They also want us to believe that they packed gallons of real food and air so they can eat and drink while in aired zone in reverse ship? How the fuck do you go to the bathroom? Its a concept that literally isnt feasible. You move forward in reverse time so normal time flows backwards to you ? Why? Why they couldnt make his actions be those that UNDO themselves in realtime. This creates a paradox. How the fuck do you reverse time for entire world and not destroy it? This is literaly the master evil plan. The "algorithm" can reverse whole world... yet doesnt that happen when you reverse one person? Its idiotic to the max. Its all about the shitty mechanics that just don't make sense. And then the story is like "ITS YOU MAN! THIS IS ALL A MASSIVE REVERSE ITS SO DEEP!" Shit ass movie. Inception was amazing purely because Nolan ripped of Paprika by Satoshi Kon that had a mind of a true creative artist.

[@adrienperie6119]

@@Kserijaro "How the fuck do you reverse time for entire world and not destroy it? This is literaly the master evil plan. The "algorithm" can reverse whole world... yet doesnt that happen when you reverse one person?" See I really don't want to sound superior or anything because I liked the movie and you didn't, every human life is precious because each person has a specific way of experiencing reality and none is superior to another. But I must tell you you didn't understand how the movie's idea works or at least that's what you're saying in your comment. It's not about reversing time, it's about reversing the entropy of objects and peoples relative to the "normal" direction of time. To me this is no more ridiculous than the idea of dreams within dreams, the point is to play around with the meaning of time (which fundamentally doesn't exist, only the present moment ever does). The evil plan is for the people in the future to reverse time for the whole earth because they have basically used up earth's resources. The main idea is people going backwards in time to change the outcome, but remember WE ONLY SEE THE REALITY WERE THEY ALREADY CAME BACK which is confusing at first, seeing characters and objects meet themselves, but there is a basis for it in physics. Personally I'm so used to movies were I end up predicting everything that happens way too early it was so refreshing to be left not fully getting it at first and having to watch it again, and trust me the more you watch it the more you understand it makes a lot of sense, and I feel a lot of people decide to find flaws because they don't want to bother and throw the baby with the bath water, which again is fine not everyone is meant to enjoy everything ! But I would wish on anyone I like to one day experience the joy of finding out just how much thought went into it, and the twists you learn about Neil and other characters. I can't explain it all here because it's already a long ass comment and you might not even read that far. I hope you have a nice day anyway !

[@karimshebeika8010]

@@Kserijaro I liked Tenet more than Inception exactly BECAUSE it made me go down a line of thought just like you just did. looking for paradoxes and inconsitensies in movies

[@marcioeduardogenez50]

The definition of that desert war scene was the "I don't know why I am here, all I know is that I must kill" meme

[@jove6407]

But they literally had a whole scene with a briefing about why they were there

[@Wiley97]

Warhammer meme?

[@kyyy8821]

Add that they were literally shooting at air, well it seemed like it.

[@Player-kg1ds]

That's cuz it isn't properly shown who they were shooting at. They were fighting Sator's henchmen

[@bluedaylight1243]

Fr, the movie is realy confusing and thats a shame considering the concept is pretty cool

[@juxe411]

i personally really enjoy it but i can see why people wouldn’t. There’s one thing you can’t argue with is that the imax cinematography is breathtaking

[@SausageWithOranges]

I agree full heartedly.

[@aim-9sidewinder550]

i watched it recently and it was good but im still confused on how the time works in the movie.

[@wendigo1619]

i can argue that imax filmaking takes too much of a spectacle aproach when the best movies have a gritty aproach that puts you right next to the hard hitting action (without relying on quick cuts and sweeping wide shots)... personal opinion though

[@aldoblack5982]

I saw it in IMAX and Dolby. Dolby was waaaay better.

[@thorthewolf8801]

Yeah, but thats not a high bar to pass, is it, when you have money. But a story making sense is much harder.

[@TF2Fan101]

I dunno, it kinda hit me when it was revealed that Neil gave his life to save the Protagonist, so knowing he was going to die after getting to know him over the course of the movie left an impact.

[@theascendunt9960]

That was right at the end. After almost 3 hours of no emotional investment. Too little too late.

[@eliseoponce3071]

Exactly the great concept it is your own perspective and graps I'll be honest is hard but is much better than swallow and plain... Filmento just follows the rules or guidelines of a movie in this case.

[@elefes.]

Unfortunately, this is what happens in real life. The closest, most important person in your life can be right next to you, quietly help you here and there, without asking for anything in return. Just because you are important to them. But you don't notice it until it's too late. Only then do you realize how much they have done for you, and you dream of turning back time. Unlike life, the film provides such an opportunity. I wanted to re-watch the film not because of the concept and not because of the supposedly confusing plot, but because of Neal.

[@Force_Of_Habit]

Probably because Neil is the only remotely likeable character.

[@Sirrajj]

Yeah that was pretty imotional and revisiting the movie, it makes whole movie a lot better, and a lot of things make sense which we first time missed

[@SwornSon]

This is why Interstellar was about the protagonist trying to secure the world's future for the sake of his child instead of some impersonal "save the world" mission.

[@semperfi2314]

Exactly! The relationship between Cooper and his kids in Interstellar is so well done, and for him as the main character, they represent the world that needs to be saved, they are something concrete. Not just a sort of... thing that's here because hey guys apparently the plot needs a goal, so... any ideas

[@Xgil2Play]

Nolan did that twice, he can't use it again.

[@mlgamings6110]

@@Xgil2Play well, he didn't need to use a child. Like Filmento stated, a friend or something.

[@Cobalt360Degrees]

@@Xgil2Play You're missing the point. The point is not 'Nolan should've reused something from one of his previous movies', the point is 'we know he can make high concept that has an emotional heart and he didn't do that in Tenet'.

[@heavybattle6650]

Let's not pretend that Interstellar is not dumb as hell too.

[@h.ar.2937]

Fun Fact: it was Leo who wanted his character to have more of a relatable aspect to it. Otherwise, Inception would have been just like Tenet (emotionally)

[@louierubio]

Whoa really? Where can I read this?

[@h.ar.2937]

@@louierubio I saw this at an interview where this was mentioned. I forgot which one it was. (Btw I made the assumption that the character would have been like TP from Tenet) but basically Leo’s character didn’t have this emotional connection to it originally and Leo wanted to change that and Nolan liked it

[@louierubio]

@@h.ar.2937 I researched and saw some pieces talking about it but not in depth. Would love to see the script before and after the changes.

[@roberthoward9500]

So with no emotion and no real connection to any of the characters? I watched Tenet and I still know nothing about the main character and found it difficult to care if he died.

[@louierubio]

@@roberthoward9500 I sometimes wonder if casting could’ve changed that. Like casting maybe Mahershala Ali? And maybe a less tall female protagonist? And maybe a properly Russian actor instead of Branagh? I’m probably wrong though.

[@lorenzmayer7734]

Never before have I been so offended by something I one hundred percent agree with

[@why_tho_]

Same here🤣

[@lorenzmayer7734]

@Benjamin McCann just a simple meme joke, nothing serious lol

[@zainsalazar3382]

I thought it was the aciddddd

[@ToroNero]

If Nolan sees this he too would feel offended in a good way.

[@yourfatboy5359]

Why would you be offended by this?

[@SpiderXweaponX]

You never go full CONCEPT.

[@JoelFavela1037]

That reference tho.

[@Real_MisterSir]

Yes you do! The fault is with those who go very deep with concept, but don't have the balls to commit 100%. At least Tenet commits fully, and I for one respect that. Not some half assed shit that wants to try but doesn't dare and plays it a bit safe. I honestly didn't care about the lack of emotional investment in this case, because the concept was strong enough to stand on its own imo. I love emotion-driven movies, but there are quite a few of them, especially from Nolan, so seeing this take was refreshing.

[@vrika4280]

That's M. Night's problem as well, he goes full Shyamalan...

[@PhotonShower]

haha..

[@nir24adler]

Lol

[@noumena6456]

As a Nolan fan, i agree 100% with your analysis. My hypothesis on why Tenet has these issues is twofold: 1) Nolan is no longer working his his brother Jonah… a much better WRITTER. 2) Its evident that Nolan tried to emulate the high-concept of Inception with the stale character minimalism and intensity of Dunkirk. Both of those approaches worked great in the two films, but when combined in Tenet it left it lifeless.

[@GothamThotSlayer]

It was just like TOOOOO MUCH CONCEPT

[@emp9413]

I didn't find it lifeless at all, just different.

[@Kserijaro]

It felt like him trying to pitch a sale for a shitty product. Instead the product is the main focus and gimmick of a movie that is so barren, its only a gimmick.

[@Specsy2004]

@@Natalia-po5lu it was covid bro +_-

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

I think that trying to manufacture a "emotional motivation" for the hero is dumb and not necessary. Maybe the TENET guy just wanted to save the world from oblivion because its the right thing to do?????

[@aidancicci9327]

i was on the fence about this review until he said that the movie should've ended at the opera house. That's genius level plotting right there

[@MoLetalis]

At least it did end at the same point in time as the opera house sequence.

[@stevenbobbybills]

He does have a point there, it's the only action scene we don't see both ways.

[@damtan6286]

The guy who save him in the opera is not The Protagonist but his British friend/agent Neil. Because of his keychain in the backpack cmiiw

[@NnanaAwa]

Exactly

[@Ahmed-sn4ko]

Agent neil did say at the end tho that we cant change the past, whats happened happened. Or maybe that was nolan's way to buy out of that scenario. It wouldnt make much sense if he was able to change the past in this specific movie, matter of fact it wouldve killed all suspense and inevitably "emotion"

[@CallumEcho]

This movie had me sliding around and moving backwards when no one was watching for a solid week

[@ethibodeaux7]

When I watched it a second time I understood so much more shit than the first time

[@michadudek8684]

SAME XD

[@rrson648]

LOL! When I was a kid I used to do the slo-mo "six million dollar man"-run all the time. Complete with the je-je-je-je-je-je-je sound effect! Good times, good times....

[@deadschooled]

@@ethibodeaux7 you watched that dog sh!+ TWICE?! I'm sorry.....

[@dzull4976]

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[@Simon-ow6td]

I really felt that watching the movie it was constantly cool and an interesting puzzle to wrap your head around, but I never cared about any of the stakes or characters so I never felt invested.

[@Shrimp_Insurance]

Exactly this, also I really liked the main actor they chose but unfortunately felt some of his lines fell flat and didn't reach Nolan level caliber

[@bozitrapboy]

i think that's just what is, a fun movie to wrap your head around with

[@connorbennett7466]

@@bozitrapboy First 10 minutes were "fun" I guess, rest of the movie is obnoxious emotionless and aggravatingly confusing

[@JohnL-m2l]

@@connorbennett7466 I have no idea what was going on in the end battle. Bunch of guys with blue and red badges shooting but we can't see what they are shooting at. We hardly see any bad guys or maybe the bad guys are wearing the same color uniforms as the good guys? And then they shoot RPGS at the same time at a building and it both explodes and implodes, and I understand that it's supposed to be the center point of the mission or something, but why....?

[@connorbennett7466]

@@JohnL-m2l I have no idea Nolan tried so hard to be smart with this and forgot to make sense and the movie just fell flat on its face

[@jamilosan]

Can we talk about the fact that our protagonist is literally called “protagonist” 😂 Looks like nolan really didnt want us to care for some weird reason

[@sword_of_damocle5]

It's an analogy that hints at the fact that every time-inversion event (the movie's main plot point) is connected to the MC in the same way that plots often revolve around protagonists.

[@Coolcoolcooldude]

Clint Eastwood plays the man with no name.

[@Rangeofranges]

I think that was kind of the point. I think Nolan didn’t want you to feel like you were watching characters on a screen do things, but rather experience the film through the eyes of the protagonist, similar to a video game

[@papus615]

Some of these replies are a neat way of showing the leangths of bullshit people will go to to not call a male character a mary sue, when thats clearly what they are.

[@BobExcalibur]

@@papus615 Pro spends most of the movie getting laid out, outmanoeuvred, maimed, confused and non-figuratively blown up.

[@jdraven0890]

Ironically (and probably intentional) the most spectacular parts of the movie were the Protagonist failing to use inversion to change things - he ends up literally fighting himself.

[@oranbenton9563]

What's happened happened

[@mediy0]

Whats happened happened.

[@twoskill423]

Whats happened happened

[@JacobGrim]

What's happened happened.

[@druznocte7417]

kate save thank you

[@denmanfite3156]

The problem with "some things" going "backwards" in time is it makes it ridiculously hard to tell what is happening on the screen. There were long sections of this movie where I thought to myself "What the fuck is even going on." and it ALWAYS had a component of "going backwards" happening at the same time.

[@Profile__1]

I can definitely understand if you disagree with this statement, but in my opinion that's a MAJOR benefit of watching this movie. It's fantastic to watch it several times. The first time I watched it with someone, we both almost immediately agreed to watch it again right after. Especially with the covid quarantine, the movie being difficult to watch in one watch was a bonus, as we could literally pause/rewatch however many times we wanted to. It didn't feel confusing, so much as it felt like I just wasn't getting it--that if I watched it again, I could appreciate it on an even deeper level.

[@denmanfite3156]

​@@Profile__1 I see the appeal of that and it's sort of like scrolling back a great audio book or rereading a page. I find that to be awe-shattering when it comes to film, especially one intended to have a high-stakes energy of "hurry up and go" only to then require you to roll back 35 seconds as you try to "get" what just happened. Suddenly there's no urgency and the tension is lost. I don't think film as a medium lends itself to this kind of story telling. It works in other places- I don't think you're wrong at all, but I have to say it's the same as replaying parts of a video game because you are dying to a silly mistake. It takes the energy out and ups the frustration.

[@Profile__1]

@@denmanfite3156 Normally I'd agree with the energy being drained, but I think it's because the film's whole concept is the flow of time being inverted that makes it watchable to rewind, replay, and rewatch. It just feels like a different, new way to see the same thing. Kind of like that 5 word puzzle the movie is heavily based on.

[@bluedaylight1243]

I agree with you, i think that "backwards" is really confusing sometimes, but it also really cool in some scene, but yeah. Doesnt really work

[@TubesForNoobs]

I understand it was hard for you to follow but it’s not the kind of movie you can sit and just casually enjoy, if you’re vividly paying attention to the scenes and asking yourselves questions like “wait why did he leave the other guy to run off after he took his mask” “why did he lie that he finished him off”, then later on I’m the film all your questions are answered and it makes sense. The story is played forward and it goes backward to show you what was happening in the background of the forward timeline. Near the end you have a mixture of forward and backward simultaneously and numerous times but it does make sense when you actually sit down to figure it out and it’ll become way more enjoyable when you do

[@amoghpratapsingh4938]

Come on it's Nolan's first movie. The best hasn't happened yet.

[@fishyfish6510]

🤣🤣🤣

[@wanderinghistorian]

I see what you did there.

[@AbelXAnne]

damn 😆

[@herdiantz8545]

The dark knight hasn't created yet. Wait, how I know?

[@Hasan-cq1sz]

Damn took me a bit to figure that out ..

[@jeffreycarman2185]

I really enjoyed both Tenet and Inception both movies stuck with me for days or even weeks after watching them for the first time. But the big difference was Inception sparked my curiosity and touched me emotionally. Whereas the reason Tenet stuck with me was that it was such an awesome and arcane spectacle. The story was hard to understand but the visual spectacle was unparalleled.

[@aplix747]

"It's not about the concept, it's about.... sending a message....."

[@wisdommakubile2127]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@atomicdancer]

"Some men just want to watch the world yawn."

[@pancake_crab4457]

A message without content is empty. It's the equivalent of writing an email with a subject but nothing else.

[@Dinoslay]

”Insanity is like gravity. All it needs is a little push.”

[@mykpausa9238]

How bout a magic trick?

[@Ryan-the-Rocketeer]

I think my favorite part of TENET was when the guy in the gas mask leaned in to say "mumnurmurmmgnfgmmrr" and the protagonist replied from his mask "norfgmurrnnmrnukgnajat" it went something like that I think. anyway, that shit really made me think deep about this movie. 16:41 basically sums up the ending nicely XD

[@Alex-rh8mr]

😂😂😂

[@taurusdragon4763]

agree my man

[@berengustav7714]

Everyone sounds like Bane..

[@doxazo5512]

Excuse me his first name is "The", last name "Protagonist"

[@juanordonezgalban2278]

I haden't noticed. Thanks for the clarification

[@Win090949]

His middle name?

[@tashkagc6585]

@@Win090949 "Black"

[@ellugerdelacruz2555]

LOL.🤣

[@KizilXD]

@@tashkagc6585 you win

[@MrRegD]

By far the best overview of Tenet’s major drawback to being the Masterpiece it intended to be... emotionally void of personal connections.

[@adrienperie6119]

Because it was not about that. The fact the main character is litterally nameless and referred to as the protagonist is a big clue. If anyone the movie is about Neil (Max grown up), but you have to watch it a few times to even understand he is the son of the blonde.

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

I dont think TENET is a great movie. Its over-long and cant maintain interest the whole time but it DOES have enough cool shit to elevate it above the other sci-fi/ Thriller movies. The car chase/ interrogation scene makes it worthwhile

[@waltbbadd]

The lead actor also has zero acting range

[@kingsman1713]

​@@waltbbadd​​ He's Denzel Washington's son and he has a range. Evidence is at the end of the movie when he realizes the truth. Also it's character wise justifiable since he's an experienced special operative who has seen alot of shit, including death. So his lack of emotions makes sense, and maybe even the director insisted on that. Because I'm sure Christopher Nolan isn't an idiot to miss the obviousness of that.

[@Xantek85]

In the inverted world, this is Film Perfection.

[@The_Viktor_Reznov]

Not only we have "that's not how time travel works in Endgame" but also now "that's not how time travel works in Tenet". Unbelievable.

[@sammythesuesarthouse]

It stil is pretty good. Not flawless but it is a joyride for sure

[@isthatronfr]

Anotomy of perfection

[@michaelmantode4985]

Lol. Uno reverse card!!!!

[@josephcastillo5091]

@@brettlucas1037 Thats why you need to see things in closed loops

[@thewhang]

The fact that the protagonist's name in Tenet is Protagonist pretty much explains the emotional connection we're supposed to have with the characters.

[@foglias]

It's a hint for classic spy novels. A lot of them they had a nameless protagonist. It is also part of what Dozi 123 stated, it's a meta discourse on how the audience experience cinema, we're The Protagonist going to watch an story unfold (Cue the first shot is people gathered in a theater) and certain people (director, actors, etc) are in charge in taking the protagonist to learn, explore and take decision into knowing the reason for his mission. Time Inversion is technically a brand new concept in cinema, so it makes sense to have a central figure that's in the blind like us and that at the end he realizes his own roll in a whole operation. Sometimes it feels like a videogame.

[@Suburban_Pantsula]

@Đozi 123 EXACTLY

[@marcelv.birgelen2166]

That in it alone is a concept. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, at least not for me. If you want me to care about the characters you create, you need to give me a reason. That's why so many movies have this "save the cat" moment.

[@KoolKeithProductions]

​@Đozi 123 I've been looking everywhere for a clear and concise video essay of why this movie simply doesn't work, and I finally found it. Everyone else is sucking this movie's long slong just because Nolan directed it, but the truth is as pretty as it is, it's just devoid of any emotional connection at all. I just sat there for 2h30mins watching ppl go backwards and forwards and didn't know or even care why. When it was over I immediately watched Inception, Momento and The Prestige back-to-back-to-back just to get the nasty taste Tenet left out of my mouth. But of course ppl will say I was just too dumb to understand it, which is fine. Just remember that as complicated as Inception's concept was, it was still able to actually make you care about *why* Cobb was there, even if you didn't understand *what* he was actually doing. Tenet fails at this.

[@Player-kg1ds]

@@KoolKeithProductions Yeah, I feel like the characters could have been written better, especially Neil and Kat. Plus, sometimes it feels like the movie is complicated just for the sake of it. I managed to understand most of this movie which is why I like it, but I understand why someone would give it a bad review.

[@ПетрТрифонов-х8р]

I like two thing about your channel: 1. How you deal with haters. 2. The fact haters even exist. Lol. You are one of the most polite, constructive and mild online critic i ever see, and still there are people who agressive towards you and your content. This is sorta funny :)

[@yourmomskitchen3236]

It's because SJW's think he's a sexist.

[@E2010Gency]

I love tenet as a concept movie, but was disappointed that the character stakes were not higher. If tenet had the emotional core that inception had it would have been one of the best movies ever made IMO

[@batarasompolatanrisangka2229]

Nah, it will ruined the Tenet Operations. Because they are dealing with time inversion, you attached with someone you tend to be compromising the operation. That what happen to the protagonist at first time. It's didn't change the past, because what happen is Happened simultaneously... "Ignorance is our amunition", that's the protagonist code that his implemented to the Tenet that his establish in the future.

[@Kserijaro]

No, it wouldnt be. Inception mechanics make sense- you craft a dream and you manipulate people with crafted dreams. Its easy to understand. It makes sense and it never breaks this logic. TENET however, messes up its premise 4 times. FOUR TIMES. It literaly changes rules as the plot requires it. Its all bang and no substance.

[@yaboisoe178]

@@Kserijaro yet it 💩on inception heavy

[@adrienperie6119]

I think it is one of the best movies ever made.

[@adrienperie6119]

@N It is one of a kind, have you seen it ?

[@bestfoodreviews2770]

I really liked this movie, but man, that alternate ending at the opera house would've drastically changed this movie for the better.

[@revel8683]

there’s an alt ending?

[@aushafe-rabbi7081]

What alt ending? 😯

[@CP-uw4ts]

What?!?!?!

[@samsamsammy2013]

??

[@benjamingentile1660]

Well memed, my friend, well memed

[@ReelRejects]

God I fucking love this channel. It's weird, I agree with everything said...and yet I still was so wrapped up in the theater experience that I still liked the film a lot. Even though I didnt know what the hell was happening or cared about the characters.

[@wampameat5076]

Holy cow hello there

[@mistsu1171]

Yes!!! 🤯This movie has this hypnotise feeling that sucks you into it although we know that there aren't much to the story.

[@dr.sleaseball441]

this was the best movie i watched and did not understand a thing!

[@purpleswag1490]

It’s cause of the lazy cliched script that thinks it’s way smarter than it actually is

[@ProsparicDropbear]

@@purpleswag1490 Er how is Time Inversion a cliche

[@CatsMeowPaw]

The dialog was so washed out when I saw the movie that I honestly sat there for 2 hours wondering why the protagonist cares at all about the woman he's trying to save.

[@kc5997]

I didn't.

[@kc5997]

@Akshay 004 whether it makes sense or not is irrelevant when you don't care about the characters. That's a big failure in my book.

[@killofilms4162]

I don't really get the whole thing that we need to care about the characters, I've always found it emotional manipulative to put something like a dead wife or whatever for the Protagonist. For me if there is reason for the Protagonist to be doing what he's doing (saving the world in this case) I don't have a problem.

[@mirziyob]

@@killofilms4162 i think "dead wife" is just a way of saying, not literal, could be anything, for example i really liked (and it wasn't mentioned here) that prot. was chosen by being tortured and passing the test (does this mean pattinson did too?? huh, they could have talked about it, but they just acted like it never happened) and that immediately after he was like "i resign" which i was so in for, but then bossman says "you're dead so you can't resign" and the prot. is like ok. Like seriously?? i know he is like taciturn and cold but didn't they just pull out your teeth?? that pain could have been a motif for something awesome, yet it was NOTHING. dull movie

[@killofilms4162]

@Akshay 004 OK get what you're saying,my opinion movie is brilliant and I think people will appreciate it after multiple viewing. Maybe I was focused on the concept and how things were going (which blew my mind) and I wasn't trying to connect with the characters. This is what I've always loved about si-fi movies; the concept, how it works, how it affects the world, what the characters can with it. A lot of si-fi movies don't go far with their concept, this the movie that did for me

[@MrZIONart]

Totally agree with your judgement. I felt the same way when I left a cinema "Why should I even care about all of this?"

[@willek1335]

Why should you care? Good question. You know how some people find joy in mathematics or physics? I don't, but more power to them. It's affirming joy. Why do people feel awe walking through a huge cathedral? Why get emotional looking at a sunset? Why do people feel moved by music? Same thing. Tenet for me is like solving a mental rubix cube of time. They're all enjoyable aspects of what is beautiful, but i guess designed for different people in mind. I like to say that beauty show that human life is worth while. A negation of nihilism. I hope that helps.

[@g.d.graham2446]

Very true, I was just left confused

[@Retr008]

@@willek1335 No,It doesnt it makes me as confused as the movie itself

[@tjenadonn6158]

@@willek1335If I wanted something like that I'd read a theoretical physics textbook. There are ways to convey philosophy in narrative while still having compelling and coherent characters and narratives: even outside of the obvious science fiction options I could point to like the Dune Saga by Brian Herbert, Cixin Liu's "The Dark Forest," Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" and Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life" (adapted by Dennis Villeneuve as "Arrival") there are plenty of stories by full on philosophers that deal with these things that still maintain string characterization and plot coherence. Albert Camus' "The Stranger" and "The Plague," Jean-Paul Sartre's "No Exit," "Molloy," "Mallone Dies," and "The Unnameable" by Samuel Beckett, "100 Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Alan Moore's magnum opus "From Hell" manages to weave ideas about everything from the nature of time to the birth of modern tabloid journalism and true crime culture to anarchist political theory to humanity's relationship with the transcendent around a gripping reimagining of the Jack the Ripper murders. All the philosophy in the world isn't going to be any good if people aren't hooked in to care. If it's all just pretty images and mathematical equations with no character development and no plot or emotional stakes you may as well be doing geometry exercises, and most people don't go to the movies just to watch someone do math.

[@tjenadonn6158]

@@Retr008 It reads like someone with no idea what philosophy is or looks like trying to approach philosophy with the starting point of "Things that make me feel awe=philosophy."

[@Jimmy.Leonardo]

10:35 is that Film Theory music in reverse? LOL

[@bangtwitterandtwicetagram830]

Choose Cheese that was gold

[@juanordonezgalban2278]

OMFG

[@hippotripo6145]

As much of an impact the lack of emotional motivation has, I’d still rather have better sound mixing.

[@RomnysGonzalez]

The music in this film was so lacking. Was so loud at times and odd

[@kaancakir5083]

@@RomnysGonzalez Hans Zimmer was not responsible this time

[@doge8825]

@@RomnysGonzalez the fuck you going on about? The music was *the best* part about this movie period

[@dimitri4457]

For most of the movie I kept seeing the clip from Office where Michael is screaming "LOUD NOISES"

[@lordhelmchen3154]

The musicwas pretty good. I love the concepts of "time" that the music tells you of and the inverted/reversed music was a cool touch. The problem is, just as many people think, the sound mixing itself. Like sometimes dialogues were reeeally hard to understand, despite me sitting in a cinema where the sound volume is generally pretty high. Watching this movie at the TV at home with normal volume will probably be a nightmare. xD This is especially bad for a movie that gives the viewer only sparse information and is highly confusing. Miss a few explanations and your confusion might increase so much it reaches the "ah fuck it, I don't care. This confusing mess is not worth my brain cells"-level.

[@OdysseyTag]

This is actually a Nolan film I'd love to see have a sequel (or prequel ahem). I feel like there's so much potential conceptually as well as space to grow narratively.

[@mikfhan]

Yeah a short miniseries like Chernobyl could have flashed out more of the time travel and character motivations, giving them a chance to show proper reactions and easing audience into the whole time inversion thing, it's weird enough to wrap your head around another character already having carried out an action, and what you see is just the events leading up to it in reverse order. AND you can invert the time inversion at any point, AND the whole pincer move thing. Trippy.

[@fegeleinherman8587]

A Tenet series sound like a good idea honestly it'll be probably be confusing as f*ck tho

[@Zippypeepee]

This should have been his first miniseries.

[@profjoshi6326]

It is a great theme for an series, because the movie shows only half of the story and the potential for more is endless, like they could make a show about how TeneT was created or the technologie itself, or who the bad guys in the future are, or how....

[@logicrules5793]

Straight up. His lack of character development I'm sure would come around in the second one because it's most likely a prequel. Because of the time travel aspect, the story is told backwards and we effectively just saw the big ending and next movie will be the character building feels that he wanted. People calling this movie bad are just confused because they don't have all the info. Guaranteed once they see the second one they'll reflect and see it as much better. It's like how some songs start out slow and eventually ramp up to a heart pounding beat. I've heard plenty songs that will be gentle for the first minute thirty seconds and then give you a heart attack. If you only like energetic music you might stop listening 30 seconds in and have a bad opinion of the song. But if you listen to the whole thing you might enjoy it. It's the same thing here if you don't watch the second movie you can't accurately judge the story I hope to see a lot more from this franchise

[@BrawlerClaws67]

You actually managed to successfully put into words what I felt about the movie. The concept was genuinely cool and enjoyable, so it's hard to say the movie was "bad," but I just didn't know or care what was happening outside of the set pieces. Thank you for helping me put my mixed emotions of this movie into words.

[@scorpionz44]

The emotional connection would've helped but I just think Nolan actively tried to avoid that. ALl his movies have some "love" element and maybe he tried to get away from that for once. The ONLY thing I thought was annoying was that there was SO much exposition, and if it was delivered in a less monotone manner, it would've made up for the lack of emotion

[@paradise_valley]

True. You gotta feel for the guy. His brother Jon added a love story to his Memento Mori short story concept he used for Memento. His following films have love play a part as well. It’s refreshing to not have on here, and the Sator-Kat-Protagonist love triangle they hint at early in is nothing more than business on both sides thank goodness.

[@StephNuggs]

Tenet is no different. The love between the mother and her son and maybe the protagonists love for her. Just badly established and lacking in depth. Simple but he didn't do it well enough

[@Prodbyjah464]

Dunkirk, prestige, following, insomnia have nothing don’t have any love elements but ok

[@OlafavonGoeding]

Nolan has been actually criticized for lackluster character motivations and lack of "humanity". Apparently, he tried to fix that with what Anne Hathaway character had to say about love in Interstellar lol.

[@Prodbyjah464]

@@OlafavonGoeding you realise interstellar actually has strong emotional moments, it’s not just oh Anne Hathaway said something about love so we must cry no, we actually feel it when cooper makes it off millers planet and finds out he lost 23 years as he watches all the old videos of his kids, it’s actually heartbreaking when he realised he was Murphy ghost all along and he tries to stop himself from leaving. Next time don’t say a stupid comment with even worse grammar without knowing shit from it.

[@ibnmianal-buna3176]

Can we also talk about how the dialogue is so hard to hear half the time? I could barely follow the movie because of that.

[@Number1boombaboomba]

Yes thank you! And the lead actor kept trying to do this assertive mumble sentence finishing thing the whole time.

[@jeremytitus9519]

Not the first time I've had that experience with a Nolan movie, either.

[@RhantheSlayer]

Yeah, for me the sound design was terrible done. One moment I’ve turned up the volume to hear the actors, then I’m rushing to turn it down because the music is destroying my eardrums

[@kroothound]

I physically couldn't understand the final big scene. Like good job explaining the villains plan across a phone in a battle scene with music blaring. What even

[@AReallyLongAndUnremakableUser]

Why write and direct a film, that your audience has to get their heads round, and follow precisely whats going on, only to have mumbling dialogue, loud background noise, and an over bearing soundtrack? Why? Chris WHY?

[@sevenkaylive]

Your point is probably correct, but for me, my Curiosity was enough to not even notice the lack of emotional 'why's

[@litteralyjustsam5262]

That's quite dangerous because when the concept is understood, the film won't become rewatchable. I watched the film 2 times and it was much more boring the 2nd second, which is different to inception which I've watched more times than 2. (in my opinion)

[@magnarthebread1993]

I agree on this! Also, I feel like the lack of emotional depth adds to the premise of us not even knowing the protagonist's name. It's very mysterious and I think its appropriate for the themes of the movie.

[@litteralyjustsam5262]

@@magnarthebread1993 You can have a mysterious character without them lacking emotion.

[@TheGrejp]

Exactly. People don't explore scientific concepts they don't understand just because of personal emotional reasons, they do it out of curiosity. Tenet being a massive physics problem, I think this is quite suitable. I certainly would explore inverted weapons just because they are scientifically interesting. Add to that other mysterious inverted items mentioned at the beginning, the remnants of a destructive war, and that's reason enough.

[@anthonymartensen3164]

@@litteralyjustsam5262 in your opinion. Cinema is a visceral experience.

[@ianmaluk1]

The guys at South Park called this out over ten years ago, they knew exactly where this type of High-Concept pitch film would lead to. Because the problems that the Tenent suffered from were still present to see in Inception.

[@scottmoore4039]

love the ep. Pizza comes in LOLOL

[@mrfeynman42]

What episode of SP are you talking about?

[@Marvsterer]

I love how our man Fil Mento calls the main hero of the movie, Pro Tagonist by his name.

[@elvibora6218]

I don't know his name

[@paddipat]

@@elvibora6218 His name is "Protagonist"

[@SNNetwork]

did u even see the fuxking movie thats his nane

[@noobmasterruben5167]

Yeah

[@seanjames6000]

LOL

[@theanimationguy9844]

So what you're saying is. . .I should watch Inception for the hundredth time?

[@dkey201]

Yes it is

[@cinematalk6648]

definately

[@kzaverr8418]

You should watch it yesterday.

[@DS-Pakaemon]

Totally.

[@SuperOmnicronsj44]

Or .. make your own film if Nolan is such a "failure". LOL!

[@jaacelsarge]

its like the army deplyment missions, NO emotion, info being thrown at you when you need it before the "mission" and running, covering and firing back if you get contacted...

[@pn8937]

What is even more jarring is the fact that this army-on-a-mission we have as good guys instead of acting professionally look obsessed with Kat's well being.How come an agent takes a detour in the past just to save a single person from a shot when he is on an active opperation to save the world and he has NO emotions at all about her...I was waiting for the forced romance between the Protagonist and Kat even at the end but nope...Nothing is steadily enstablished at this front so the whole second act seems irrational...She is just a pawn and he should let her pass away.

[@freddyfranchise]

i thought the same thing without even having seen the film. thanks for confirming. This looks like "Taken 6" to me

[@killofilms4162]

@@pn8937 they needed Kat in order to keep sator alive, buying some time to stop the bomb

[@pn8937]

@@killofilms4162 a fact that -forgive me if I am wrong- the protagonist didnt know when he did a detour in the past to save her,or even worse during the sequence he handed over the suitcase in order for Sator not kill her.

[@killofilms4162]

@@pn8937 1.he's the one who put her in danger with the whole painting thing. 2. He doesn't like innocent when people to die, you saw what he did in the opening scene with the bombs and he would rather die than give give up his team (the test that lead him to be recruited). 3. Kat was always his way of getting to Sator, so he knew that he needed her, also the suitcase was empty at that moment.

[@Force_Of_Habit]

My stages during Tenet: 1- Ok this is cool 2- Why should I care? 3- How long until the end?

[@ellieadele3769]

Precisely! Well put.

[@bensweiss]

My reactions to Tenet: 1- This should be interesting and the main character is Black! (responding to the trailer) 2 - What's going on? (beginning of the film) 3 - Slow inverse fighting is long, awkward, and tedious like the efforts to establish smart snarky dialogue in the film. 4 - Now the dialogue is long and drawn out. My interest ended at min 47 and I bailed, I just found it really boring.

[@ellieadele3769]

@@bensweiss yeah I really agree about inverse fighting. Such a letdown.

[@colorblocked1]

This was fantastic. Highlighted everything I felt but couldn’t articulate.

[@captaindonut5240]

@⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ say

[@yamaha28]

in a nutshell, we approached watching Tenet like expecting a bestselling novel, but it turned out to be a technical thesis on quantum physics

[@whosaidthat84]

Made up quantum physics*

[@AlexanderVFX]

What if... Instead of going forward we go backward? 🙄

[@zuhayrkhan7103]

@@whosaidthat84 Thank you for pointing this out. Every time they brought up entropy or mentioned "laws of physics" I just cringed. If entropy was reversed, reactions could not take place and life would cease to exist. They told the protagonist that he couldn't breathe inverted air, however, many times he was seen without the oxygen mask while in the inverted dimension. Additionally, if everything was inverted, why weren't the oceans or the puddle at the beginning of the inverted dimension frozen? I get that Nolan wanted to push the boundaries of cinematics, but at least have a 15 minute consultation with an actual physicist about your concept. And if not, leave the science to people who research it and coin your concept as something else without bringing up "nuclear fission" and other chemical/physics theories.

[@whosaidthat84]

@@zuhayrkhan7103 agreed! And what does that say about the neurons in his brain and the blood pumping through his veins? Is that all inverted? I doubt that's good news for the human body. Ant Man and the MCU fully embraces the whacky side of "scientific theory." It's all made-up and supposed to be ridiculous. But Nolan wants us to believe that this is borderline "hard sci fi" it it clearly isn't. It's okay to go full science fiction but don't try to make us believe this could really happen.

[@yamaha28]

Made up physics is fine, as long as it is entertaining and engaging; this is anything but.

[@D-OveRMinD]

It helps when your lead protagonist is not a plank of wood. Inception was emotionally held up by Leonardo DiCaprio.

[@elijahbryce9526]

I dunno, seems like Leo had a lot more to work with.

[@lonelystranger7114]

Read the interviews. Leo basically forced Nolan to keep the emotional context relevant throughout the runtime. It seems like Nolan also wanted to focus on the concept only for Inception.

[@aredblip1315]

The protagonist got angry when he suspected Neil of snitching and he was holding back tears at the end when he realized Neil was about to go to his death bed. He sacrificed himself in the prologue scene for his team, he showed empathy toward Kat and saved her life (along with the WORLD!) at the end. Don't know why some people say he's emotionless. He's just a bit more stoic than your average person because he's a hardened CIA spy. He's seen some shit, killed many people, trained to be tough.

[@lonestarr1490]

@@aredblip1315 He's basically Bond, because that's what Nolan was up to: making a Bond movie of his own. The issue of course persists that he could have made _more_ than just that out of this concept.

[@matthiasrosenzweig5755]

@@lonestarr1490 Thanks. While watching the movie I was thinking to myself : "why doesnt he just direct a Bond movie if he so badly wants to do one?!" He would just have to ask and they would just say yes instantly

[@exiszentriker2952]

I found it strangely refreshing and quite interesting that the protagonist wasn't really emotional invested in anything, that the goals, the meaning of this concept and real emotions were only vague and distant. It serves the point about the nature of time travel. He doesn't have any control, he can't comprehend what is going on, he is a pawn serving the necessity of the world around him. Also I like the view of a protagonist not as subject, as an autonomous hero, but as an observer. Conveying emotion without an protagonist, but through his story is really interesting and I liked this concept, if it was intentional or not. You just look over his shoulder, following his necessary actions and only catch glimpses along the way. The film wasn't perfectly done, even if I don't see the lack of emotional connection through the protagonist as a problem, there are still technical flaws especially regarding the exposition,

[@achromat666]

Just watched Tenet. This perfectly describes what I thought was missing. I'm baffled that the writer director known for giving heart to his high concept films couldn't be bothered to give his main character (who he doesn't even bother to name, he calls himself the protagonist for some bizarre reason) an actual name background or overall motivation beyond what happens in the film. It's a high concept series of set pieces that can't tell a good character story, because you barely have a character.

[@runninginsept]

I used to think he did solid character work too, until I read that it was his leading men and his other writers who championed for the characters (not him). I was disappointed, but at least it allowed me to realise his flaws and temper my expectations moving forward. I will tune into Nolan one final time on his next movie, and if his character work is bonkers again, I'm unsubscribing from him lol

[@paradise_valley]

Yeah Nolan defends his creative choices all the time, but he was for a “Le Samouraï” type of character for the protagonist as seen by the little emotion he shows at the end as Neil leaves to die by finishing the temporal pincer move. It doesn’t work as well though.

[@mrsn3sbit888]

Its the twilight world though, it's supposed to be the middle of a story

[@achromat666]

@@mrsn3sbit888 How is that an excuse for not developing characters and choosing to focus more on concepts than bothering to name the protagonist? Tarantino starts his stories in the middle all the time but makes you care about the people while wowing you with his ideas.

[@GSP-76]

Tenet wasn't a character driven story. It was more about the concept and what was happening. Not the characters really.

[@yanjirujan193]

"oh cool, let's just make the climax where the protagonists shooting the enemies that didn't appear on screen"

[@imperium9881]

It's Nolan's way of filming he doesent want to derive attention from main characters. Just look at Dunkirk. WE NEVER see the Germans because we have established they are bad. In this movie we establish the PMCs are bad too.

[@Callie_Cosmo]

@@imperium9881 also inception, most of the time they’re shooting at the subconscious of whoever’s brain they’re inside of, faceless, nameless goons who die after one shot, little better than zombies

[@imperium9881]

@@Callie_Cosmo subconscious has no real emotion or soul and it's the same with tenets PMC coz they have no real significance to the story so why should we focus on them more than our protagonist?

[@Callie_Cosmo]

@@imperium9881 yes, I’m not arguing with you, I’m adding more evidence towards your point, I agree what what you are saying, not everyone on the internet is itching for a fight

[@CrowAtNight]

@@imperium9881 Except there’s lots of historical common knowledge about the Germans in WW1 while the PMC’s are left pretty vague

[@dafootball448]

Agreed with the video. I love The Prestige, Inception and Interstellar, yet this one frustrated me. Kinda understand the complicated time-inversion concept by the end of first watch, so that's not why. Then I realized I just don't care for the hero's journey. In Inception, Cobb tasked to prevent a global company from total monopoly, but he personally just wanted to meet his long-separated children. In Interstellar, Cooper tasked to find another planet and save humanity from extinction, but personally he just wanted to protect his children (and later to meet his daughter again). In Tenet, the Protagonist motivation is just "saving the world", but that's so cliche as in every other action movie. It's still brilliantly filmed. Just coulda been written better, felt like a waste of such an interesting high-concept.

[@alkkapbhanu6918]

Well said, dude. I still see comments here justifying that why the tenet "shouldn't" have an emotional aspect to it. Smh

[@alkkapbhanu6918]

@Shimaz Munshi this is a franchise?!

[@Exel3nce]

and why exactly did you even care about the people in other films? for the sole reason that they had a personal goal?

[@playapapapa23]

I think it’s because the mechanics of the concept was the purpose. The story is in service to the concept, not the other way around, and that’s why I think the movie is a failure. It was really boring.

[@honeybhingful]

To add to this, The Prestige is my favorite Nolan film because the motivations are so petty. That's humanity! Here in Tenet, you nailed it: no one cares for the hero's journey. The protagonist was being introduced (at the same time as us, no less) to a world inhabited by people who are already dealing with inversion as "just another day's work"

[@holybalognajabronies2013]

I DEF appreciate this commentary. Inception is one of my favorite films of all time, not just cuz of how cool all of action and concepts of dreams and inspiration and idea implanting are, but b/c I STILL tear up just thinking about that scene of Cobb saying he knew inception was possible b/c he did it to his own wife, and how he KNEW shewant real was b/c of the unbearable weight of the guilt he felt for infecting her mind with the need to wake up from any reality she found herself in. That combination is what made for a truly unforgettable movie.

[@Ed-zq1mo]

The protagonist didn’t go to the airport to find inverted bullets he went to get Sator’s wife’s painting, that was the leverage that Sator held over Kat.

[@ayoubiew]

I think he didn't understand the film, he mentioned that the protagonist motive is the inverted bullet that he almost been hit by it, and in the movie it was clear that his motive is to stop a cold war that put the existence into danger

[@anthonymartensen3164]

@@ayoubiew the bottom line is that it's a spectacular film experience. They literally tell you you're supposed to "feel it". If that seems like a cop out to some people, all I can say is I'm sorry you couldn't enjoy it.

[@cangaroojack]

He went for 2 reasons, for the painting, and to find what Kat said is so valuable to sator in the Freeport, since sator doesn't care about art at all, but cares about inverted stuff, they go to find what's there (they even mention that the structure senter is devoid of art, but is too big to be empty)

[@ayoubiew]

@@anthonymartensen3164 For me it's a masterpiece, and it's up there with the dark knight and inception, it's unfair to put tenet and inception and demanding a copy cat of what inception did, every movie is unique in its own way and tenet succeed at that, i don't want a dead wife or a dead brother as a motive for story, and i don't want a top tier CIA agent to cry or laugh or as filemento said: normal day guy" to react at things the same way normal people react, the concept is very hard to pull visually or maybe impossible especially without CGI and that appear like sun in the final battle, but when you demand everything to be perfect this movie can't do it

[@anthonymartensen3164]

@@ayoubiew it's totally different and kind of on a different level than any other film he's made in my opinion. I guess it bothers me when other people don't see it that way 😆

[@JuanGarnicaVera]

I really hated when the main character and his friend are talking about weapons an how to take an airport while they are inside a bus full of people. That happened like three times.

[@markshiman5690]

"Even tho I could have explained this all 20 minutes ago, now that we are on a leasurely bus ride, I am now going to explain the secrets of the operation in full ear shot of everyone"

[@Kurosaka]

Yeah that pissed me off

[@CouchCit]

Christ on a stick, THAAAANK YOOOUU!! I thought I was the only one that noticed it.

[@davidlean1060]

In Inception, Nolan was able to get away with stuff like that because the premise was 'anything can happen in a dream'. That film actually celebrated how illogical films can be, but Tenet doesn't have that get out of jail free card, if you follow me. It's rather silly at times. Having said that, the film knows what it is. More and more, Nolan is becoming a thinking man's Michael Bay. I mean that as a compliment too. Tenet is nonsense, but spectacular, cinematic nonsense.

[@turtlenerdtatum9502]

I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who noticed that, I was kinda mad

[@manuelquintana3401]

“Going too far with your concept “ *Laughs in evangalion *

[@madkoala2130]

You forgot one point... A FU*KING ENDING (which there is none and main guy is a pussy)

[@cassandracastro2759]

It's because the Cruel Angel's Thesis I guess.

[@Leo-xz7tv]

evangelion really had enough emotions

[@N0noy1989]

evangelion made you feel stuff and think about things though. this one just made me think it looked awesome and then move on

[@marcogianesello6083]

Except evangelion was complex while tenet is confusing, big difference, in tenet a good 70% of the dialogue is charaters explaining shit to one another, just so that the audience has some reason to get to the next setpiece, it just fails in delivering information organically, it's not complex and layered, it just requires a slide presentation to remember why they're shooting and who they're shooting at

[@Cesonico]

Really liked the analysis. Still think TENET is an experimental concept more than a typical blockbuster so there is ultimately no need for forced emotional stakes to be present. The way the movie has let me thinking about so much stuff has no comparison and I wouldn't change it for nothing.

[@elishacathey9878]

Your friend Felix looks like Pewdiepie with a mustache

[@RomnysGonzalez]

Is Pewdiepie Mexican-American Cousin. Felipe

[@vini-ix8yt]

Just waiting for someone to say: "ThIS iS pEwDiEpIe!! 11!! " "ArE u StuPiD? "

[@joey_dangerously]

@@vini-ix8yt It's you.

[@REX-gq6ur]

No that is his Italian haf-cousin Felecito

[@Killer36661]

@@REX-gq6ur Fellatio

[@D-OveRMinD]

"I had a stronger emotional connection to the ending of Transformers 4." Oh shit, you ain't gotta be all like that, man. Damn.

[@juanordonezgalban2278]

That burned hard

[@deadschooled]

But it's true...

[@anthonymartensen3164]

@@deadschooled people are gonna be talking about this film for years. That won't be the case for any of the Michael Bay Transformers films except maybe the first one

[@chey6073]

@@anthonymartensen3164 Thats not true. I talk about how bad the movie is every day in Transformers discord servers 😞

[@elvibora6218]

i did more research on this movie than on my thesis

[@foglias]

Such a good time to be alived, isn't? :P

[@RaulGarfias]

@@foglias I wouldn’t go that far 😆

[@boredbagel244]

And now I learned I can still love a movie while agreeing with criticisms directed to it. This was an amazing video.

[@slartymcguarty2954]

This movie is the physical manifestation of watching a movie while extremely tired, and napping every 5 minutes, and then trying to recall what the movie was about to your friend the next day

[@icecreamhero2375]

Uhhh.... There was a black dude and everything moved backward. The wife hated her evil husband and she kills him.

[@anthonymartensen3164]

This movie is intense and riveting if you watch it right

[@tabaflip]

@@anthonymartensen3164 worst argument possible, mate. If I gotta read a manual to watch a movie right, I just won't, bro.

[@anthonymartensen3164]

@@tabaflip you don't but ok

[@kleber3782]

@@tabaflip Is watching a movie that complicated that you need a manual? Damn

[@SidneyJupiter]

The main problem I’d say with me was I just didn’t have a clue what was going on or what the point of everything was, especially the climax

[@TheFikri136]

Man, everytime I watch Filmento, I'm just like "No no. He's got a point."

[@xyx2188]

Another good example of bringing a concept to life was how people reacted seeing Transformers for the first time. Sam was surprised and even the military was caught off guard seeing a deception for the first time. It also makes the characters feel more like real people.

[@TrapPhoneLoveMelodiesss]

This is so accurate, who TF were they fighting against at the end? Who were they running from and shooting at???

[@ileutur6863]

It explained quickly in the briefing, but most people missed it. The russians have a turnstile there too

[@tonycarpaccio9550]

It felt like watching a paintball fight

[@rmrfboy]

lol. around that time in the movie, i lost interest altogether. didn't understand it one bit and the main protagonist acts like a fish

[@thebrosandgirls1949]

I was so confused while watching it in theather. Even audience have no idea what's going on

[@therealmaskriz5716]

@@rmrfboy pech gehabt

[@ShadicgunMan]

Finding out about Neil's fate was enough emotion for the entire movie.

[@curtisjackson5793]

I'm not sure I got it, he is the one that takes a bullet to the head and is lying on the floor at the end of the tunnel that the protagonist and the other military guy entry?

[@yashcherkaa]

@@curtisjackson5793 yes.

[@Riprie]

He was also the guy who shot the inverted bullet and saved The Protagonist at the opera.

[@anthonymartensen3164]

Exactly. "Years ago for me. Years from now for you." If after paying attention to the whole movie, that doesn't rip your heart out, seeing that Neil has to say goodbye and sacrifice himself, I feel like you need to give the movie another chance.

[@abhishekrao1710]

@@anthonymartensen3164 I teared up at that moment. :'(

[@loargesnek5371]

Others: im happy to say that i was sponsored and thank you Filmento: holding displate at gunpoint: i dont think you understand. you dont have a choice in this matter

[@gedrictudio]

Damn that is one good analysis of TENET. I have to say though, I think ending with the protagonist looking over Kat was the right way to approach the finale, especially with his realization that he is the mastermind (implied though) behind the whole ordeal. That familiarity is with protecting Kat and Max (who is implied to be Neil). It goes full circle. I do agree that it really feels emotionless and that's because of how they made Washington react to the whole thing. I'd accept those from Neil and Ives, because somehow there's a part of them that has an inkling of what would happen, because of the concept of inversion. That glimpse of shock and wonder should be coming from the Protagonist. Wherein throughout the film he'll always act surprised because he should be, since this is new to him, and by the finale, when he realizes he is the mastermind behind TENET in the future, he'll have that blank emotionless state that he exuberates throughout the film. That would have been a wonderful character arc instead.

[@FinneasJedidiah]

I do have to ask what you mean when you say 'implied' because I'm pretty sure it's explicitly stated

[@zamakhtar]

I agree 100%. Story and characters were second to concept, and this movie suffered for it.

[@ny3793]

At the core of the movie it was about the debate between the many worlds interpretation versus Copenhagen interpretation. This movie would be ruined with in-depth characters, it would take away from the spotlight put on the physics debate at the core of the movie. Unfortunately this movie was pitched as a blockbuster when really it’s only for people with a high level of physics knowledge unlike you.

[@williamhare4456]

@@ny3793 A true mark of intelligence is explaining complex ideas so that most people can understand. If a piece of media is “to smart for someone” than it is not made by smart people. Case in point an inverted person needs inverted oxygen to breathe. When the opposite is true the chemical reaction is reversed and they would need carbon dioxide instead.

[@rsfilmdiscussionchannel4168]

I wouldn’t say the story took a backseat, characters you can argue but not story

[@jimjimjim6841]

@@ny3793 Lmao

[@mihkaylosyerviac3745]

Weirdly, considering how everyone made a big deal about inception being really complicated when it came out, I actually found inception pretty easy to understand, whereas I found this film unintelligible. At points I literally had no idea how or why anything was happening .

[@mariahgumm8314]

I could follow, but rarely cared.

[@kenthehobo]

Glad I'm not the only one. I felt like an absolute dumbass watching it!

[@jimjimjim6841]

Inception is genuinely easy to follow, just pay attention nothing complicated is really happening. I was also interested in what the characters had to say in Inception, not in Tenet aside from Neil. It's just not very compelling story or character wise.

[@johnbull1568]

Agreed. I had no problem understanding Inception first time round, but then it wasn't really playing with time like Tenet is, apart from slowing it down of course. That said, even if I don't fully understand everything after only seeing it once, the set-pieces in Tenet are astounding and were worth the price of admission alone.

[@lonestarr1490]

It's in the nature of the concept, I suppose. Entering someone's dream is like entering a magic world. That's a premise we've seen hundreds of times by now, I would say. From there on Inception is just recursion. All you'd to keep track of is the level we're in. And the movie does a good job in communicating exactly that on the fly (color coding, characters present, slowmotion, etc.). For Tenet, the concept is completely out of this world. Even if you're familar with time travel stories, time going in the other direction is a concept you cannot have any real world associations with. So you're lost by definition and the movie has to work constantly to keep you updated about everything that's going on.

[@Anavarel]

They weren't looking for the "box of inverted bullets". They were looking for the forged painting that Sator was using to blackmail his wife so that they can destroy it and convince her to work with them. It still was a weak plot as at this point in the story we still didnt care enough about neither wife nor protagonist, but there was a solid reason for them to be there. Seriously, Christopher needs his brother. Jonathan Nolan, please bless us.

[@prabunaresh1217]

Lol did you even understand the movie

[@DEFDEFDEF5162]

That’s literally not what they were doing at all lmao. You don’t get to call it a “weak” plot point without even understanding what’s happening in the movie

[@jeffcherian3065]

The forged painting, a box of bullets, and whatever the hell Sator was hiding in the biggest vault, which btw, Kat mentioned as something sinister.

[@nestormelendez9005]

Tf are u guys talking about thats literally what they said they plan to steal , a painting

[@thepuncakian2024]

I thought it was a mission with the primary objective of breaking in to find what the hell sator has in there (they show earlier when they're planning that there's a big space in the center) with the secondary objective of destroying the painting.

[@tlotpwist3417]

The film has you in a constant race of trying to get what just happened, which prevents you to get what is happening, and leaves you out of cpu space to treat what will happen

[@frantisekpodolsky8744]

If the movie actually ended at the opera, there could've been a scene where Pro would have to decide, whether he'll save his dead friend or the alghoritm. That'd be interesting

[@Yarblocosifilitico]

there's no free will in Tenet tho. Otherwise the scene where he fight against himself wouldn't be possible, because he would have to decide to replicate what he saw so that reality stays coherent, but that would be impossible to do unless some misterious force of fate was using him like a puppet.

[@frantisekpodolsky8744]

So it'd be like the emitional climax, when Pro would want to save his friend. But since he has already died in the first place, Pro would just have to let him die a second time, and save the algorithm instead.

[@Yarblocosifilitico]

@@frantisekpodolsky8744 yeah that would've been cool

[@wreckcelsior]

If it ended in the opera house, we would have seen Neil save Pro again. Neil's the guy in the beginning who 'catches' the first inverted bullet, saving ole Pro. 5:56 cheers.

[@wreckcelsior]

​@@Yarblocosifilitico "What's happened has happened" - *but* only from one time direction perspective. Pro couldn't have *not* fought himself, because it had already happened, so, yeah, no free will at that particular point. The bullet holes were 'carved in glass' as it were. They just happened to end up in the same place, same time, going in different directions and had a fight. Since FWD is behind in time, he doesn't know it's himself or they would have broken off. REV is trying to get away as fast as he can so they're both *not* annihilated by accidental particle contact. (prepper Wheeler mentioned this) The shooting at the glass is *obviously not* intended to kill FWD. (that would be un-spy dumb) REV is just trying to get an edge in the fight. As far as free will goes, they had total free will, but inverted interference phaqued with them, by knowing what their free will had decided to do. (planning the capers etal) Fight was destined only by time, rolled by coincidence, but bound to happen. If FWD had *not* entered that room, no fight would have happened. REV is existing in FWD's world, but running in reverse, and yes, REV's career started when he was dug up from his grave and proceeded to un-die by pushing the assasin's bullet out of his head, and leaving the scene.... That's just my thoughts on the subject. o pin yun. [Personally, I phaquen freaked with joy when they ran this fight again in the opposite direction] cheers Y.

[@brucecrawford4948]

I loved Tenet but I know it’s not a film for everyone.

[@socksnbiscuits]

I thoroughly enjoyed myself, being alone in the theater helped

[@wellyesbutactuallyno9776]

You either hate it or love it, no in between.

[@lupoblu4790]

It’s a film for those who love bad movies

[@izs6946]

@@wellyesbutactuallyno9776 you can love some parts, concepts, or aspects about a film while also criticizing it for its misgivings, of course there's "in between" Tennet is not a horrible movie at all, it's just lacking in some aspects just like any other film.

[@brucecrawford4948]

@@lupoblu4790 Films are subjective to audiences.

[@nivedkrishnan8223]

I was waiting sooo much for this, exactly what i felt watching the movie "hollow". I was thinking throughout what's the point ? and that last fight all I was thinking is who are they shooting ? What is happening!!

[@musicbheem1588]

Me too have the same. But, i thought it was my problem.🙂

[@GarveyToure]

I think the main character's "emptiness" was by design. He wasn't in awe or overly emotional because thats how career soldiers would react.

[@saikv9847]

Dats the problem, every good story protagonist always hve self improvement & emotion aware,

[@macogottalent112]

@@saikv9847 I agree but you can break the rules for certain stories. Idk why compare two different stories. You don’t do 9+7 the same as you do 9+6x7

[@g.d.graham2446]

I guess so, but it can make the movie seems dull

[@agfagaevart]

@@macogottalent112 Inception and Tenet ARE the same when you check it; A group of people get involved in altering someone's destiny. Except that, Inception had the better script / direction / emotional connection with the audience that Tenet does not have.

[@TeChNoWC7]

It doesn’t matter how cohesive something is if it’s hollow

[@alexanderying1558]

My much bigger problem was that I‘m just way too stupid to understand this movie

[@HoveringAboveMyself]

Don't be too hard on yourself, the whole concept of inversion is pants on fire stupid.

[@Andriej69]

@@HoveringAboveMyself Dude, these are Nolanodrones on a damage control rampage, don't try to reason with them

[@Biring1]

Nah, it's just confusing and bad writing

[@infallibleblue]

You’re fine. Just let your inner physics flow.

[@Real_MisterSir]

@@HoveringAboveMyself "my university level physics don't explain this so its dumb". Meanwhile, quantum mechanic and most theories related to +5 dimensional view on spacetime, allows for everything that happens in the movie. And no I ain't saying this as a pure fan of Nolan, as I still think other aspects were lacking. I'm saying this as someone who actually studies and understands the deeper concepts behind the story. I'm sorry you don't.

[@micaelasparrow650]

Good video. I remember leaving the theater after watching Tenet and being disappointed but not really able to put my finger on why. I think you highlighted really well how a film can be good and still end up hallow. This is the only Nolan film I really have no desire to ever watch again.

[@AustinCDennis]

Watched it a 3rd time and like it even more.

[@jesseroel8362]

Wait this might sound crazy but you have to watch it at least a second time. I've watched it like five times now and it gets better everytime. First time I got nothing from it and did feel disappointed. Trust me. Watch it again.

[@denzeruouji542]

I watched it for the second time yesterday and it actually got worse for me, so I guess it kinda depends on the type of person you are.

[@umamagei]

When I watched Tenet i was so confused when I got about 25 - 30 minutes in and realised that I had no clue about what was going on outside of the chick from the night manager taught the Protagonist how to reverse time for specific objects, it plays out like a videogame you've been thrown into mid story, fitting that the character is only known as The Protagonist.

[@angelitaparan7771]

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[@konradschulz7567]

This film is different not only in its concept, but also in its concept as a film. It can't be compared with other films like interstellar or inception, because it aims to make the watcher feel or think different things than those movies. You can't judge a turtle by its ability to fly. This movie really is basically only about the concept and the paradoxes and to make you think about it and have fun figuring out how it would work. It is a puzzle, it has no meaning, it is only made to look badass and amazing and to make you put the pieces together.

[@willek1335]

Exactly. I think some people think conceptually. They're highly open to experience. To solve these high brow concepts is joyous in itself. They can endure the uncertainty of not knowing. When I look at art, I want to look at it a thousand times and still discover new things. That's art to me.

[@loshobian]

@@willek1335 you can still discover a thousand new things in shitty art too

[@Allagi22]

I guess? So you're saying it's just a showcase for cool film sequences and a puzzle with no regard to story or character development? Mystery movies need a coherent through line so that the audience member is ABLE to put the puzzle pieces together. If you apply any logic to Nolan's bizarre introverted entropy premise the plot falls apart.

[@as7river]

I think film was the wrong format for this kind of story/concept, then. Maybe a book would've worked better because a movie without emotion is just a documentary.

[@franciscoortiz4502]

Idk i watched the movie and enjoyed it for the spectacle even if i felt like a lot of it was going over my head.

[@kheldaur2107]

Tenet has an interesting and complex plot, it looks absolutely great and the actors are fine. But the biggest problem is the characters. They're very boring and during the course of the movie I wasn't invested or particularly interested in them.

[@notreallyjuan]

thats the point, the main character literally has no name

[@noelv1976]

You The Protagonist wasn’t interesting enough? Lol

[@charlespetit2017]

@@noelv1976 What do you know about the Protagonist ? Absolutly nothing, he must seek time travelled bullets and that's it !

[@2kmichaeljordan438]

@@noelv1976 you must be one boring ass person if you thought he was interesting

[@noelv1976]

@@2kmichaeljordan438 it was meant to be sarcastic. It definitely didn't come out that way 😂🤦🏼‍♂️

[@emmetbrowne2061]

This movie leans into being purely a cinematic experience like Dunkirk.

[@lancehalo7256]

Agreed, there wasn’t really a story in Dunkirk but I was heavily engaged the entire time, same with this film

[@mlgamings6110]

Yeah, but even Dunkirk had characters that you grew attached to and cared for. Not the case in Tenet.

[@DruNature]

watched this and dunkirk on a 13 hr flight, I would rate this 1/10 and dunkirk 7/10 so yeah not for me, this was night and day different than Dunkirk.

[@TonyKalashnikov]

Well no because 70% of this movie is People talking to eachother explaining the concept while loud music is playing

[@laurajackson1303]

You mean slow lol

[@abwrenchslinger]

I think as far as a more emotionally driven story goes, following Neil's origin/storyline would probably have had a bigger impact. He had more reason to be invested in the entire operation from the start. He had a reason to go back to the opera house inverted to save Protag, because that's his mentor and close friend in the future, as it's revealed when he goes to "close the loop" at the end by picking the lock to the gate. It's unfortunate that the emotional connection between the Protagonist and Neil isn't shown until the very end. There is also the theory that Neil is Max, Kat's son, inverted to travel to the past. This theory isn't officially confirmed, but it could have made for an interesting sort of 12 Monkeys style twist.

[@JB-bq2qj]

I respect that to show no hard feelings you use another one of Nolan’s films as the positive example.

[@theknight4317]

Maybe you're right, but for me, the movie was so great that despite all of that I was still amazed and I loved this movie

[@chinmander]

Agreed bro, I think the film did have an emotional punch overall but The Protagonist is a shallow character and that's my only gripe with it

[@sameyepatch]

I also loved it but I get where people get from when they say they didn't like it. I understood the movie completely once I watched it a second time, so I guess people who watched it once were left confused as hell

[@ashaoverstreet1509]

I do see your point of the lack of emotional "why", but for me personally the fact that the Protagonist is an agent and he's given the Tenet job by a superior was reason enough for him to go on the mission, like it was literally his job. And I think the reason he's so calm and collected when he learns about inversion (and other things throughout the film), is again because he's an agent and he's learned to keep his emotions in check. Cobb is a completely different person to the Protagonist. He has deep-set emotional trauma that constantly bleeds through. We don't really know anything about the Protagonist, we don't even know his name, and that's okay, I think that makes him a really intriguing character, but in a different way to Cobb. Even though both Tenet and Inception are high concept films, they have completely different tones and themes. But I do resonate with a lot of your points, I do think the characters suffered a bit do the focus on concept. Also if the end sequence was at the opera house bringing the film full circle, that would have been awesome, because yes at times there was too much chaos to understand or care about anything. Nice vid

[@noobmasterruben5167]

Also whenever someone is explaining something in the finale, all I hear is “BWAAAA!!!”

[@ashaoverstreet1509]

​@@noobmasterruben5167 yeah the sound design was basically a cablecar accident

[@Sanirosan]

Even the job came out of nowhere. Like, he gets captured, interrogated, "dies" and suddenly he's part of a super secret mission and just takes everything at face value. He never questions anything, that's the problem. Even saving Kat, which made no sense whatsoever. She was just a random contact for him to get to the main villain. But somehow, she was treated as an important link.

[@ashaoverstreet1509]

@@Sanirosan in Mission Impossible missions missions come out of nowhere too. The agents don't know what they're getting into until they hear the tape from the Secretary. But I do understand what you mean about the Protagonist just going with the flow and not questioning anything. But regarding Kat, she was Sator's wife. I think that makes her a pretty important link. The Protagonist needed her to get close to Sator. I didn't really like her character and I thought the performance was a bit wooden, but the character herself is important to the plot. I mean she was the one that killed Sator in the end, there was a lot riding on her actions alone.

[@PeteyBirdd]

I had no clue what was going on in this and fell asleep halfway through it, needless to say best movie ever made 10/10 better than the dark knight

[@theprofessionalamateur3090]

"Makes it feel about as special as a lump of bread" Oi, you ain't gotta do lumps of bread like that.

[@juanordonezgalban2278]

As much as I'd like to like the movie, it was emotionally plain.

[@wizzyone6789]

Get a subscription to the Hallmark channel, if emotion is something you really yearn for.

[@LyricsFred]

I remember when I watched the movie I told my friend, don't you think is weird this guy just discovered all of this crazy shit and he is totally not loosing his mind over it?

[@pn8937]

@@wizzyone6789 yeah nice idea and all but dont get us wrong but not liking bland films isnt exactly an indication that we would like hallmark channel...We might just like actually good movies like inception and Prestige.

[@wizzyone6789]

@@pn8937 "Us"? Calm down. you think this is some sort of us-versus-them tribalism? Funny thing is the person running this channel isn't even a honest player. It's all about income from "content" in the end. He is dissecting a movie while stating wrong plot points, which shows he did not pay attention. Did he really not listen to why they went to the airport the first time? I guess all these "content creators" become lazy in the end. Just like Cinema Sins. When your analysis is coming out months late, best to get out with that big clickbait.

[@lesbiantrump4230]

Do you need eMoTiOn to enjoy a film?

[@Theyungcity23]

10:30 his reaction is existential dread. He asks her about free will. He’s worried about pre determinism or fatalism. Which is particularly interesting for a character in the James Bond sort of role. James Bond knows full well that he has no agency at all. Also he’s not going to have Page’s characters reaction because this is his job he is an agent she wasn’t.

[@teardama7320]

JDW just doesn't know how to act.

[@izs6946]

@@teardama7320 far from it, just watch his other works. In this case, the writers just gave "the protagonist" basically a blank character which has the advantage of flexibility (notice how he barely protests on what's happening around him and his blank character made it easy for him to just accept the new reality he's been thrown at) at the expense of character's internal conflict and development Because, if we give "the protagonist" a more realistic attitude, the movie would go for an additional hour or more just to show him having conflict on this new reality

[@_greenrunner_]

It’s too sharp of a left turn tho. It just comes in all of a sudden.

[@ZuckerbergsAi]

@@izs6946 yes lets make our protagonist completely unemotional, with no reactions or motivations, that will surely help declutter this high-concept mess. The more boring he is, the more time the viewer can try to understand what the fuck is going on

[@savag3guardian]

They don't go to the airport for inverted bullets. They go to the airport to find what TP (in the past) believes to be fissile material for a nuclear bomb. The inverted fight scene happens because Future Protagonist is at that specific Turnstile since it is the only one he knows is safe to use to save another character. Tenet has its flaws, I'll grant you that. But what the characters are doing and why is very well explained in the film. Every single point where you asked "Why though?" Was explained very well beforehand. The concept of time-travel as explored in Tenet is difficult to understand, but the plot itself is fairly simple to follow.

[@banzaibomb4980]

The entirety of the final scene of Tenet just reminds me of a match of COD multiplayer

[@foreignpaul]

Modern Warfare 3 ends with a joint task force attacking a siberian mine. Which later collapses 🤔

[@AslanW]

When I saw the trailer for Tenet and I started laughing my ass off when they were like "has it happened? Or is it about to happen?" and then someone busted into the room and unfired their handgun.

[@aredblip1315]

Don't know why some people say the main character is "emotionless." He cried when he lost his team at the opera, he got angry when he suspected Neil of snitching, he cried at the end when he realized Neil was about to die. He sacrificed himself for his team, he showed empathy toward Kat, saved her life along with the WORLD at the end. He's just a bit more stoic than your average person because he's a hardened CIA spy. He's seen some shit, killed many people, trained to be tough for deadly missions.

[@llel1416]

I feel like the point isn't to say he doesn't have any emotions but that he has none that are attached to the concept of time reversal. It felt like he did not care about time reversal except for the concept of it. In inception the dream is a mean to do something with (come back home to his children - which btw, he could have have them sent back to wherever he was but anyway) but in Tenet the protagonist seems to have no personal interest in investing in the concept (and the fact that he starts to randomly (imo) cares about Kat doesn't help.

[@hskfw]

@@llel1416 It's not randomly. He does the same thing at the opera house, he saves the people who weren't part of his mission. It's simply how he acts. But again "lying is standard procedure" when Kat is at gun point. The guy is a trained soldier, he is not going to have crazy outbursts of emotion everytime. And also he doesn't have to be attached to the concept of time reversal, he is a soldier with a mission

[@debjanimukherjee7535]

It doesn’t matter if the protagonist shows emotion. The point is do we care about the protagonist enough to care about his emotions. And in tenet sadly the answer is no.

[@buubaku]

He only shows emotion when the emotional parts of the movie come. A good protagonist should always be showing some kind of emotion, even if that emotion is an attempt to suppress emotion, when we're getting an exposition dump (something that makes up about 40% of the movie) he just reacts with a logical question and nothing else, thats not entertaining, seeing him question the universe, the potential of the inversion and the implications would be entertaining but he does none of that, he just asks who's the next person he has to fly over to and asks for more exposition. Other than that, the emotion that he does show doesn't mean anything to the viewer, when he finds out his friend is gonna die he cries, but i dont really care because he was really more of a colleague, they didnt seem to grow any closer they didnt help eachother on their emotional journeys they just performed missions together because their boss says so, then the movie expects me to give a shit that he's gonna die, i felt as much connection to that guy as the army dude who got squished inside a wall by an inverted blast

[@devasheeshsharma588]

@filmento will not reply on this comment, I bet