Armed with only one word – Tenet – and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist (John David Washington) journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. Not time travel. Inversion.
Plot: A secret agent (John David Washington) embarks on a dangerous, time-bending mission in order to prevent the start of World War III.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Aspect Ratio: 1.43:1
Runtime: 150 min
Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: A visually dazzling puzzle for film lovers to unlock, Tenet serves up all the cerebral spectacle audiences expect from a Christopher Nolan production.
Online Ratings:
- Rotten Tomatoes 71% (Audience 76%)
- IMDB 7.7
- Metacritic 69
- Roger Ebert 3/4
“Reference grade material! This is one of the best looking 4K discs you can own today.”
Review:
TENET was originally shot in IMAX 70 mm, Arriflex 765, Panavision Sphero 65 and System 65 Lenses. Ultimately, it was finished at a 4k digital intermediate — this means you’ll get a native presentation on this disc. On top of that, as per the norm with UHD releases, it was also given a HDR color grade for your viewing pleasure in HDR10.
December has been blessing us with amazing releases and that continues today with TENET, this is a reference grade disc and one of the best transfers I have ever seen. Everything about this movie it pitch-perfect — amazing detail, dimension, color, sharpness, black levels, HDR… yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. I was trying to find something negative to say, but I couldn’t find a thing when it comes to the transfer of this disc. (*inserts Own Wilson WOW! gif*)
You are blessed with this insane amount detail right out of the gate with the big opera house opening act. I usually would list specific things to look out for, but it’s all over the screen — there was too much to write down, I ended up with nothing. (I should go back in and list it, stay tuned.) You can expect reference grade close-ups with facial hair, imperfections in the skin, makeup, blood, bruises, scratches, etc.. all in full view. (Also, clothing textures looked razor sharp.) In contrast to this detail you will see deep blacks, perfectly casted shadows and the HDR creating a palette that continues through the entire film. I’m a big fan of the full aspect ratio, so I love the way Nolan bounced in and out of the frame to heighten the tension and suspense.
Some of the most eye-popping moments (with the use of HDR) sits around the blue of the ocean. They not only showcase brilliant blues mid-day, but deep reds from the inversion room and any colored light casted against the deep dark sky. I feel like I’m not saying enough and there’s so much to say. This movie (visually) is about as perfect as you can make it — let alone the fact that the transfer follows suit. The cinematography from Hoyte van Hoytema is top notch in this film. (Everything is beautiful to look at.)
When it comes to special features you get just one. You get to look at the World in a New Way” The Making of TENET. What is it? It’s an hour-long exploration of the development and production of the film as told by the cast and crew. Though there is only one special feature, they made it count.
In conclusion —
Taking everything I’ve said into account, TENET gets my recommendation to own — as a matter of fact, it’s a must own. There is something about Nolan films that feel like they were made for me — the story, the mind bending turns, the score… everything. A lot of time his films are so complicated and beautiful that you need to watch them for a second, even a third time to comprehend everything that’s going on.
You can probably guess that Christopher Nolan is my favorite director… so I could be a little bias about the film, but I’m not bias above the transfer — it’s one of the best you can get your hands on today. No matter what you decide to do, you can grab a copy at your local retailer on 4K & Blu-ray December 15th. It will make a great stocking stuffer for any fan of the film. Go get it immediately!
Are you a fan of TENET? Will you be picking it up to own? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Cheers,
Matt.
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