Tenet, Christopher Nolan’s time-bending epic, has finally come to HBO Max this weekend. The film could be seen as one of the first movie casualties of 2020, having its release severely affected by the global pandemic. The initial response to Tenet varied from person to person, with some people who loved it, some who hated it, but mostly everyone had no idea what was going on even if they enjoyed the film. Now, the movie is now getting its second life, first making a comeback at the box office and now releasing on one of the most popular streaming platforms in HBO Max. And as you'd expect, the internet has more thoughts about the movie in the midst of its streaming debut.
Tenet is a polarizing film for a few reasons. Still, the central divider is the confusing nature of its plot that requires subsequent views to even begin to wrap your head around what John David Washington and Robert Pattinson were up to. With its release to HBO Max, Tenet is now widely available for people to experience for the first time or give it a second chance, and people are doing just that, judging from the film trending on Twitter:
Tenet is a semi-flawed and admittedly confusing film, but it absolutely rules, as Teen Wolf director Stephen Ford puts it. Christopher Nolan's latest is best experienced as pure spectacle. Leave everything else at the door until your second or third viewing, as internet commentators will tell you, along with some other key advice:
Tenet is confusing, especially on its first viewing. The user above describes the correct way to watch the film and truly appreciate and understand what’s going on in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster. There is truly a higher level of thinking that is required to finally "get" Tenet but if that is too intimidating just think of it as a conventional spy thriller and enjoy the ride.
Aside from its disorienting storytelling, the Christopher Nolan-directed movie also had some technical problems. References to Tenet’s notorious sound problem controversy also got a shoutout in the form of a funny and ironic subtitle seen at the beginning of the film:
Fans also seem to be having a good time having fun with their methods of watching the film. Many know that Christopher Nolan prefers that his films be seen on the largest screens possible, and some can't help poke fun at the notion:
The stars of Tenet, John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, are also getting their praise from fans. John David Washington had one of the craziest fights sequences you will see in a movie, and Robert Pattinson was basically auditioning for the role of James Bond. Their chemistry in Tenet is excellent, and the reveals at the end and watching a second time really highlight their back and forth in the film:
Tenet is gaining more steam thanks to streaming and, despite its confusing plot, it has its devotees and has gained some new fans. The cult following around it will surely keep gaining members, and the call for a sequel might become too loud for Christopher Nolan to ignore.
Even if you aren’t super interested in how the plot device of the movie works, you will probably still be on the edge of your seat, asking how they pulled off crashing a real plane into a building and, for most people, that may be enough. My advice is to leave the speculation and theorizing in the hands of the true Tenet-heads and just enjoy the spectacle.
