(not trying to start a debate here. If you didn't enjoy the movie, more power to you.)
One thing I appreciate with Nolan's work is that it keeps you on your toes. It is a bit like a multilayered cake with different flavors and the more you dive into, the more surprised you are. Nolan has several recurring themes in his movies such as Time (by his own admission), but also his love for cinema, his dedication to his work, his fear of losing those he loves (to the art), the fear of becoming obsolete (or stuck in his art). and the beauty of his movies is that you can always find something new.
Tenet is a movie that seems very minimalist at first and when you watch it without thinking about it too much, it does seem like an original action movie with a very simple plot "a protag has to save the world from bad guys." But as soon as you know Nolan and his pet themes, you can start to see what it wants to convey. While discussing the movie a couple nights ago, it dawned to me that the movie could be understood through Nolan's lenses.
1) Nolan expresses his fear of being stuck (artistically speaking) and being unable to move forward and explore his art. (the people from the future want to destroy the past. They don't want to move forward, by destroying the past, they suppress the future. it doesn't exist, progress isn't made. new ideas don't exist)
2) It is also a concern about the industry. We have been in a decade full of remakes, sequels, prequels and even soft retcons. Fortunately, we do have new and original projects that fare well in theaters and on streaming platforms but the tendency of nostalgia-baiting, franchise-milking that we see. (I won't deep-dive in it, but the whole 'people from the future walk backwards' is a hint)
3) He broke his usual way of telling stories and while pushing the "concept" style of storytelling (I mean, the main character is called the protagonist), he went out of his comfort zone, which could be his way of saying he's reading to move forward in his art. He's ready to push the envelope (and we saw it in Oppenheimer! first a biopic and then he really filmed scenes he generally never does)
4) Nolan has always been afraid of losing his wife. They really love each other and she really is his everything (his words, not mine). He is always wary that his obsession for cinema (and his dedication to his craft) drives her away or that anything happens to her. Still, in his movies (the prestige, inception, heck even Batman, Tenet..) the wife is always one way or another hurt by her husband's work. In Tenet, it's the refusal to move forward and explore, and the obsession with the past (past successes, fear of losing creativity, fear of losing mementum) that drove her apart from her husband.
5) Nolan fights himself in that movie. His desire to move forward in his craft is crippled by the fear of failure. The fear of losing inspiration. The fear of not finding his audience who will always remind him of his past triumphs and not follow him in his exploration. but at the end of the movie, he fully embraces the unknown. He is ready to move forward. to explore. to let go of his fears.
TLDR: yes, I'm that girl who is doing her best literature teacher impression. Sorry, not really sorry. :p
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