
Tenet
Time runs out.
2020 • 150 min • Action · Thriller · Science Fiction
Synopsis
Armed with only one word - Tenet - and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.
Our family guide
Best from age 14- 83 Reviewers · 12 · 75%
- 72 Audience · 11327 · 25%
An agent known as the Protagonist races against time to prevent a global catastrophe orchestrated with advanced technology. He uncovers a world of inverted time and international espionage, aiming to stop a powerful arms dealer from executing a devastating plan. The mission involves complex maneuvers across the globe, challenging his understanding of reality.
- Violence & peril
- 6/10
- Language
- 3/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 2/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 1/10
- Scary moments
- 5/10
Heads up
- Complex time inversion concepts
- Intense action and chase sequences
- Characters face life-or-death stakes
What it models well
- Courage under pressure
- Protecting humanity
- Strategic thinking
Talk about it after
- How consequences ripple across time
- The complexity of ethical dilemmas
- The nature of free will versus fate
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Tenet. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
Rent
Buy
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
- Fandango At Home
Links go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.
Top billed cast
Director: Christopher Nolan • Crew: Christopher Nolan
Trailers & clips
Official Trailer
Is TENET Actually Christopher Nolan’s Secret Masterpiece? | THE BIG PICTURE
Re-Release Trailer
"Tenet" Wins Best Visual Effects | 93rd Oscars
Tenet Wins Special Visual Effects | EE BAFTA Film Awards 2021
Try And Keep Up: John David Washington and Travis Scott
IMAX® Behind the Frame | Shot on IMAX Film
Behind the Scenes Exclusive
Reviewer notes
RecommendedAppreciated this film more than any Nolan film since The Dark Knight. Usually his films aim for high concept but get weighed down by syrupy schmaltz. This one ditches his unconvincing attempts at emotional/philosophical depth and just focuses on the very creative core concept of inverted time.…
RecommendedIt was a long time since I watched a new blockbuster movie and, mostly for personal reasons, even longer since I actually reviewed a movie, blockbuster or not. I guess this movie is not the most simple one to pick to get my reviews/blogging back on track but there’s not that much new movies to chose from this year with the pandemic and all.…
Recommendedman, oooh maaann <blockquote>everything bumps into each other.</blockquote> F*ck. yes, another <i>time sh*t</i> by Nolan. people seem to hate or despute it, but I am enjoyed the film. the inverted fight, so much to hit my brain. u might call me Nolan's b*tch but i am. idc. this shit is liiiitttttt 🔥🔥🔥. Also: Washington, Pattinson, and Debicki are sexy af. Goransson is good. He did an amazing job.…
Not recommendedNolan's latest movie is one of his worst. An exaggerated film whose only purpose is to complicate the viewer, but I wish he could do it with cinema. These ambiguities are created only by the chaotic and crowded montage and a series of theoretical dialogues, and no cinema is seen in it. Also, we do not see any coherent story during the film and the events of the film do not form a script at all.…
RecommendedBeen a fan of Christopher Nolan's films but this one didn't quite do it for me. One, confusing story that was hard to follow at times (I got the gist), but beyond that, wasn't terribly entertained. Acting was shaky, Pattison was fine but really disappointed with John David Washington, though he's not helped by cliched dialogue.…
RecommendedI’m a bit annoyed I couldn’t understand the first twenty minutes because of the bombastic bass and a bit underwhelmed by the lack of an emotional arc, but all things considered, Tenet is an epic, mind-blowing James Bond film masquerading as a Christopher Nolan film.
RecommendedI believe Tenet is very underrated. This movie is just too good! The soundtrack, the action, the plot, the acting, the cinematography, and the fact that CGI wasn't really involved much! Yet it was indeed challenging to understand. However, after watching Dark, I didn't face much difficulty in understanding the plot, as both have a lot in common.…
Not recommended**_An aesthetic showcase that's completely uninterested in human beings (and for the love of God, what does Christopher Nolan have against decent sound mixing?)_** > S A T O R > > A R E P O > > T E N E T > > O P E R A > > R O T A S - Sator square (date unknown) >_The laws of science do not distinguish between the past and the future.…
RecommendedI was recently asked if this was better or worse than Inception. Personally, I don’t think you can compare any of his films outside the fact that he made them. Like those made by Tarantino, each film is its own living masterpiece ... If you are a fan of Nolan, this is a must see!
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersIf you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com Christopher Nolan has delivered some of my favorite movies of the century. All the way from Memento to the most recent Dunkirk, I've yet to dislike one of his films, so expectations are always high with him.…
RecommendedThere is a moment midway through this film where you can suddenly feel everything clicking into place. Up until this point, the film has been entertaining, with some great set pieces and a scope that is trademark Nolan, but the central hook of the film - “time inversion” - has felt almost superfluous to the plot, albeit a clever visual conceit that gives the film a different vibe to your average spy thriller.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersI fully understand that Christopher Nolan is trying to play with time, as that what's the movie's about - and yes, he is known for confusing movies - but here, Nolan has made something uninteresting. The idea of things going backwards is cool, but the rules are unclear. We never know what the basic goal is - I could understand secrets, but the film has to be interesting and 'Tenet' simply isn't.…
Fan reviews
Sign in to rate and reviewBe the first fan to review this.
Gallery
Details
- TMDB audience
- 7.2/10 (11,327)
- Age rating
- PG-13
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $205,000,000
- Box office
- $365,304,105
- IMDb
- tt6723592
- Official site
- www.tenetfilm.com

Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Plex



















