Christopher Nolan's Tenet has finally arrived in UK cinemas after multiple delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with critics offering sharply divided opinions on the film. The fantasy spy epic, originally set for a July release, is being seen as a potential saviour for the cinema industry amid the health crisis.
The Guardian's Catherine Shoard gave the film two stars out of five, calling it a 'palindromic dud'. However, she acknowledged that its success in bringing audiences back to theatres could outweigh any critical assessment. In contrast, The Daily Telegraph awarded full marks, with Robbie Collin urging viewers to 'just rewind and enjoy the ride', describing it as 'the perfect film to get us back in cinemas'.
Screen Daily's Fionnuala Halligan noted the film's 'almost mythical status' for its international rollout strategy, while Empire gave four stars, with Alex Godfrey saying Nolan had 'made his own Bond film'. The Metro also awarded four stars, with Nola Ojomu calling it a 'mind-bending wonder'. NME crowned Nolan the 'king of cerebral blockbusters', praising the performances of John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki.
Tenet stars John David Washington as The Protagonist, alongside Robert Pattinson, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Elizabeth Debicki. The 152-minute film follows a secret agent's mission to prevent a global disaster through time manipulation. Its box office performance is being closely watched as an indicator of public willingness to return to socially-distanced cinemas.
