Tenet (2020) review

  Having proved his 'worth' during the siege of a Ukrainian Opera House (which evokes memories of the 2002 Nord-Ost hostage crisis), the "Protagonist" (John David Washington, son of Denzel) - an operative for the CIA - becomes a part of an organization called "Tenet" that's studying bullets that go backwards through time and their connection to a Russian mobster (Kenneth Branagh) and his wife Kat (Elizabeth Debicki).  Many of the same things I said about Inception can be repeated here (unfortunately): like Soderbergh, Nolan is a Master Technician, but he's overly focused on his little plot tricks and camera wizardry instead of human nature - the 'emotional components' (Debicki and her son, Washington's bond with buddy Robert Pattinson) don't have the same 'pull' as an extensive car chase that goes backwards.  Nolan is trying to tip off his audience about his intentions when he has Clémence Poésy's scientist say "Don't try to understand it. Feel it" except there is, in fact, nothing to "feel" and the "understanding" part - with all that non-stop plot exposition - might give one a two-ton migraine.