Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet is known for being extremely complex that demands constant attention. It involves a time-reversal concept and ends with a ‘temporal pincer’ in the last part of the movie.
Even if someone tries hard, they might not fully grasp it on the first watch. It needs multiple viewings because human thinking has always been linear.
Now, fans can get ready for another mind-bending sequel, as there’s a higher possibility of Tenet 2 after Warner Bros. planned to re-release the movie in theaters.
But recently, in the midst of second installment’s talks, Christopher Nolan came forward to defend the film, which is seen as his most controversial work.
Christopher Nolan Defends One Criticism of his Most Controversial Movie
Christopher Nolan defended a criticism of Tenet, saying not everything in the film is meant to be fully understood by viewers. In an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert this week, the filmmaker said:
“You’re not meant to understand everything in ‘Tenet’, It’s not all comprehensible. The thing with ‘Tenet’ is, I think of all the films I have made, it’s the one that’s very much about the experience of watching films. It’s about watching spy movies in a way. It tries to build on that experience and take it to this very magnified, slightly crazy place. A lot of that is about sound and music and this huge image.”
The 53-year-old’s tendency to create movies with complicated storylines helps explain why Tenet was either loved or disliked by viewers in 2020.
Nolan stated that the movie is about the experience of watching films, especially spy movies. It aims to enhance that experience with sound, music, and a big image. That’s the reason he said—someone doesn’t need to understand Tenet to appreciate it.
Christopher Nolan Took A Bold Leap Beyond Audience’s Imagination to Make Tenet
Christopher Nolan explained why he makes complex movies by quoting a line from Tenet: “Don’t try to understand it, just feel it.” This points to that Tenet might be his most mentally challenging film yet. Nolan then elaborated on this in an interview with the HugoDécrypte YouTube channel:
“The job of the filmmaker is to try to be a little bit ahead of the audience, not too far ahead, not too far behind.”
This gives the distinction between a typical Nolan film and Tenet. In movies like Inception, Nolan kept audiences guessing by playing with dreams and making them question what’s real.
His other films like Memento and The Prestige also awed audiences with their twists. However, Tenet takes it a step further, with some viewers still puzzled by scenes early in the film.
Nolan has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking in recent years, and Tenet is yet another masterpiece in his repertoire.
Watch Tenet on Apple TV.
