Tenet (Prologue)

TENET © 2019 WARNER BROS. ENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Last night, the seven-minute ”prologue” for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, Tenet, premiered before exclusive IMAX screenings of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Needless to say, it was a momentous thrill ride that was able to surpass the 141-minute movie shown afterwards.

Opening with a terrorist attack on a Ukrainian opera house, John David Washington and his team of secret agents are tasked with extracting an American target before terrorists are able to blow up the location.

From the first second, it is clear that Nolan is in full mastery of his craft, as he is able to meticulously build the tension to the maximum with the help of Ludwig Gorransson’s throbbing score — who makes a fine replacement for Hans Zimmer — and Hoyte Van Hoytema’s breathtaking cinematography. As the scene progresses, it becomes apparent that this will have the largest scale of any of the films he has previously made while at the same time, he is able to plant small details that keep you questioning what is truly going on. By the conclusion of the prologue, the original goal is in shambles and it intriguingly sets a tone of uncertainty for the film ahead. 

If this is truly a taste of what will be seen next July, then it is clear that Tenet  has the right pieces to become Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus. With this scene a precursor of what is to come, it would be logical to assume that this will be the climax of everything he has mastered and perfected in the past: Tenet will be if the high-concept nature of Inception and mystery of Memento were crossed with the thrill ride that was The Dark Knight and the twists and turns of The Prestige ... all orchestrated by the man who made the masterclass in adrenaline rushes of tension known as Dunkirk. Even with just a teaser and a contextless opening scene available for the public to see, it can confidently be said that Tenet, without a doubt, will be one of the most original, greatest and well made films of the next decade.

Tenet is released worldwide July 17th 2020