Tag: christopher nolan

Movie Review

Movie Review: Tenet (2020)

by N.Leave a Comment on Movie Review: Tenet (2020)

Having seen Inception, and enjoyed it, it would be a lie to say I didn’t have high hopes for Tenet. After all, I enjoyed Dunkirk, Nolan’s prior film, when I saw it three years ago as well. Though I knew little of the plot of this film preceding my viewing of it, what I did know – entropy, time travel, and high stakes – seemed promising, and if anything, it looked to be Nolan’s most ambitious idea put to film yet, and that’s not a statement to be taken lightly. So, what did I think?

The plot is set into motion when the film’s main character, known only as ‘The Protagonist’ (John David Washington), is employed by a top-secret organization known as ‘Tenet’, who are using “inverted” entropy to prevent the outbreak of a possible World War III. After our protagonist tests a couple of ‘inverted’ bullets, he learns that said bullets were inverted by an infamous Russian arms dealer named Sator. To this end, he teams up with Neil (Robert Pattinson) to try and uncover the truth behind Sator’s operation and ensure the future of the human race once and for all.

First things first, I was pleasantly surprised by Washington’s performance, given that he definitely wasn’t as well-known compared to his co-stars. Though his character has no name or even any real backstory, Washington still delivers a great performance of charismatic character that we can all root for. Not to be outdone, Pattinson plays Neil with an undoubtedly equal level of charisma, and the interactions between the two protagonists is fun to watch. While I had some issues with the main ‘hook’ of the film, watching the characters move backwards through time was visually entertaining and definitely impressive, given Nolan’s aversion to CGI, as were the action sequences, which utilized both the actors and vehicles around them in unique ways.

However (and I think this is an opinion shared by many), my enjoyment of Tenet differed from my enjoyment of Inception when the plot started really kicking in. If you couldn’t already tell, the film delves into a lot of difficult concepts, such as entropy & inverted time, and believe me, it does not take either of these concepts lightly. Unlike Inception, where the ideas were still somewhat vague, almost every scene that isn’t an action sequence in Tenet is filled with exposition explaining said concepts, and it can definitely be quite mind-draining at times. Moreover, I found difficulties in enjoying Sator as a villain, since I personally dislike the “homicidal Russian arms-dealer” trope; that, and Branagh’s Russian accent was laughable.

However, despite the obvious reservations with this film, I didn’t dislike it. While at first I was annoyed that the plot wasn’t as well-explained or put-together as it should’ve been, I enjoyed it a lot more when I didn’t try to analyze too much and simply went along for the ride. If you are going to watch Tenet, just keep this in mind: Don’t stress too much, just enjoy it as much as you can.

Final score: 7/10

Movie Review

Movie Review: Inception (10th Anniversary Edition)

by N.1 Comment on Movie Review: Inception (10th Anniversary Edition)
Inception - CINEMABLEND

I’m going to be real for a second: I’ve never seen Inception, partly because I wasn’t really ‘into’ film at the time and also because I was, like, eight years old. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t know about Inception; at this point, I don’t think there’s anyone that hasn’t. I knew it was the favourite film of a lot of people, that it had a really dope fight scene in a hotel, and that it single-handedly popularized the use of the DUNNN sound effect you hear in basically every trailer ever these days. So, when it was announced that Inception would be re-released in theatres as a celebration of its tenth anniversary and to promote Nolan’s new film Tenet, I knew this was my chance to actually watch the film that has been talked about non-stop for a decade.

So, what even is Inception about? Described in the least complicated way possible, the story follows Cobb (DiCaprio) and his partner Arthur (Gordon-Levitt), who work as spies… of a sort. In short, they use experimental technology to infiltrate and manipulate the subconscious and extract information through dreams. On one mission, their target, Saito (Watanabe), offers the two a seemingly impossible task: placing an idea in an already subconscious mind. In exchange for convincing the son of a rich man to dissolve his father’s company, Saito promises to also dissolve Cobb’s status as a criminal. Taking on the offer, Cobb assembles a team of experts, including Ariadne (Page), a somewhat naïve but talented architecture student. But the team of six are up against the clock, and it will require more than just luck to make the impossible possible.

First things first, I can definitely see why this film is upheld as a classic of modern cinema. Not only does it present a unique idea (well, for the time at least), but it is able to combine this idea with a tight script and good film-making, something that most ‘unique’ films today lack. The characters, while not the most in-depth, offer no shortage of entertaining quirks and talents, and every actor present gives it their all. The score, composed by Hans Zimmer, is tailored to every scene, and the action sequences are nothing short of impressive; you can tell how much work went into them and I’m surprised at how well they hold up 10 years later. Watching this film on the big screen was definitely an experience!

When you’ve got a film as well put-together as one directed by Chris Nolan, it’s difficult to find a fault. If anything, a scene in the film where the team stake out a fortified mountain base, aside from reminding me of Metal Gear Solid, goes on for a little too long and is rather boring to look at compared to the colorful scenes seen previously. Furthermore, as you may have already guessed from my plot description, it is not a film most people can walk away from understanding everything that happened. It definitely requires rewatches, that’s for sure.

But my complains are merely small potatoes compared to the full-course meal that is Inception – an intriguing story, all-star cast, and never-ending excitement. Though some may argue that it is ‘overrated’, I personally believe that it is ultimately deserving of its spot as a modern classic, if all those imitations of it haven’t already proved that. Now, off to watch Tenet!

Final score: 9.5/10