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Tenet: The Complete Screenplay
TENET is a palindrome- it can be read backwards as well as forwards.
This is the idea at the heart of Christopher Nolan's new film, a time-bending thriller whose protagonist (played by John David Washington) is pitted against a brutish antagonist (played by Kenneth Branagh) who deals in munitions- and so much more. The characters wrestle in a dangerous world of twists and betrayals, a world they barely comprehend.
TENET is an audacious masterwork that fulfils the potential of what cinema is.
This volume also contains storyboards for three of the film's stunning action sequences.
This is the idea at the heart of Christopher Nolan's new film, a time-bending thriller whose protagonist (played by John David Washington) is pitted against a brutish antagonist (played by Kenneth Branagh) who deals in munitions- and so much more. The characters wrestle in a dangerous world of twists and betrayals, a world they barely comprehend.
TENET is an audacious masterwork that fulfils the potential of what cinema is.
This volume also contains storyboards for three of the film's stunning action sequences.
238 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
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About the author
Christopher Nolan
34 books466 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Christopher Jonathan James Nolan (born July 30, 1970) is a British-American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is known for writing and directing such critically acclaimed films as Memento (2000), the remake Insomnia (2002), the film adaptation The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), and rebooting the Batman film franchise. The latter made him the second most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind David Yates. Nolan is the founder of the production company Syncopy Films.
He often collaborates with his wife, producer Emma Thomas, and his brother, screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, as well as cinematographer Wally Pfister, film editor Lee Smith, composers David Julyan and Hans Zimmer, special effects coordinator Chris Corbould, and actors Christian Bale and Michael Caine.
Nolan often casts the same actors in different films. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Russ Fega, Cillian Murphy and Larry Holden are among his more frequent acting collaborators.
Nolan's wife Emma Thomas has produced most of his films, with the exception of Memento and Insomnia. Lee Smith has been Nolan's editor since Batman Begins, with Dody Dorn editing Memento and Insomnia. Wally Pfister has served as cinematographer for all of Nolan's films starting with Memento. David Julyan composed music for Following, Memento, Insomnia, and The Prestige, while Hans Zimmer provided music for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Inception.
Christopher Jonathan James Nolan (born July 30, 1970) is a British-American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is known for writing and directing such critically acclaimed films as Memento (2000), the remake Insomnia (2002), the film adaptation The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), and rebooting the Batman film franchise. The latter made him the second most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind David Yates. Nolan is the founder of the production company Syncopy Films.
He often collaborates with his wife, producer Emma Thomas, and his brother, screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, as well as cinematographer Wally Pfister, film editor Lee Smith, composers David Julyan and Hans Zimmer, special effects coordinator Chris Corbould, and actors Christian Bale and Michael Caine.
Nolan often casts the same actors in different films. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Russ Fega, Cillian Murphy and Larry Holden are among his more frequent acting collaborators.
Nolan's wife Emma Thomas has produced most of his films, with the exception of Memento and Insomnia. Lee Smith has been Nolan's editor since Batman Begins, with Dody Dorn editing Memento and Insomnia. Wally Pfister has served as cinematographer for all of Nolan's films starting with Memento. David Julyan composed music for Following, Memento, Insomnia, and The Prestige, while Hans Zimmer provided music for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Inception.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 25, 2025
Tenet written and directed by Christopher Nolan, who won last night 7 Oscars with his Oppenheimer https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... well, some were taken by members of the team
8 out of 10
I did not get Tenet, so these lines do not have a lot of merit – if any – but there are some other issues with it, other than the complexity of the plot, after all, Inception https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... is not your average cinematic story either
First on my list of ‘complaints’ would be Elizabeth Debicki in the role of Kat, an actress that is the epitome of falsity, artificiality and hitting all the wrong buttons…yes, I am aware that this is not the opinion that is shared by those who know better, critics, guild members, these have nominated and awarded trophies for talent
Nevertheless, this is a subjective, flawed note, which incidentally you should skip, for it is not worthwhile, but on the other hand, this is my opinion, and considering that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, if I do not see it, there is none where I sit, or in as much as concerns this thespian, who appalled this cinephile in other roles
Another is The Crown https://realini.blogspot.com/2021/03/... where Elizabeth Debicki has been acclaimed for her performance as the late Princess Diana, only her perspective made me watch something of the first episode of the season which has her in, and then avoid the rest altogether…
Much as I expected her to disturb my peace and enjoyment – why on earth did Christopher Nolan select her, I was wondering, before I remembered that she is appreciated, it is just this cinephile that does not exult in her presence – the way Kenneth Branagh saw his part as Sator, the Russian villain was another hard blow
If I am not mistaken, Kenneth Branagh made it on the cover of TIME, with his production of Henry V https://realini.blogspot.com/2023/09/... which he directed and wherein he took the leading role, this being one of excellent films he was involved in, another is Belfast, one of the best in 2021
Indeed, Belfast https://realini.blogspot.com/2022/01/... was emotional, wonderful, albeit Kenneth Branagh has had some outré ideas about stories for the big screen, such as when he gave audiences Agatha Christie murder mysteries, from Death on the Nile to Murder on The Orient Express
The manner in which Branagh portrays Hercule Poirot is not just flawed, but outright irritating, for yours truly https://realini.blogspot.com/2018/10/... and this is the approach taken for Sator, this heinous maniac, who proposes some excessive torture for the Protagonist…
Yes, you could protest and say ‘well, that is what the bad guy has to, he has to be loathsome’ and you are right, only there is something wrong there – again, the spoiler alert is still alert is still in effect, I did not spell it, but said in the second line that this is a flawed note, and I am living up to my promise and criticize…the wrong feature
Now for merits – one must be a ‘merit finder, not a fault finder’ this is what Harvard Professor Tal Ben Shahar says https://realini.blogspot.com/2016/04/... and he has the most popular lectures in the history of that (once) prestigious institution, teaching positive psychology
John David Washington is wondrous as the Protagonist, however little I understand from what he does, I mean, yes, he is in action, trying to save the world (one interlocutor tries to take him down a notch, with a rhetorical question ‘you think you are the only one capable to save the world’) from nuclear Armageddon…
Which is a favorite theme of Chrsitopher Nolan, we could conclude, given that he just won seven Academy Awards for Oppenheimer, that he is concerned by this threat, and we should all be, the tyrant from the Kremlin is just one of those who have nukes, and he keeps threatening the West, another is crazy Kim of North Korea
The Oscars Ceremony took place last night – this is written on March 11, 2024 – and Christopher Nolan has won two Oscars, one for Best Motion Picture of The Year and Best Achievement in Directing, while Oppenheimer took seven in all, including for Best Performance by An Actor in a Leading Role for Cillian Murphy…
Robert Downey Jr finally took home the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as Lewis Strauss, though he should have been a winner thirty two years ago, when he was Charlie Chaplin https://realini.blogspot.com/2017/08/... and then he became a drug addict
He thanked his ‘veterinarian, that is his wife’ in his acceptance speech, a few hours ago, because she is the one who saved him from the hole he was in, with health issues, problems with the law, and no future in movies, as he was at his nadir, and now he is one of the best in his profession, respected and outstanding…
I wonder if Tenet is the film for which Director Christopher Nolan has blown up a real airplane – he is acclaimed for this as well (among so many other things) that he has a way to make it credible, he uses less computer work – in the Jimmy Kimmel speech he referred to the fact that Nolan uses a computer without internet access, does not use email – and for one movie, he used a real aircraft and Tenet could be the one…
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
8 out of 10
I did not get Tenet, so these lines do not have a lot of merit – if any – but there are some other issues with it, other than the complexity of the plot, after all, Inception https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... is not your average cinematic story either
First on my list of ‘complaints’ would be Elizabeth Debicki in the role of Kat, an actress that is the epitome of falsity, artificiality and hitting all the wrong buttons…yes, I am aware that this is not the opinion that is shared by those who know better, critics, guild members, these have nominated and awarded trophies for talent
Nevertheless, this is a subjective, flawed note, which incidentally you should skip, for it is not worthwhile, but on the other hand, this is my opinion, and considering that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, if I do not see it, there is none where I sit, or in as much as concerns this thespian, who appalled this cinephile in other roles
Another is The Crown https://realini.blogspot.com/2021/03/... where Elizabeth Debicki has been acclaimed for her performance as the late Princess Diana, only her perspective made me watch something of the first episode of the season which has her in, and then avoid the rest altogether…
Much as I expected her to disturb my peace and enjoyment – why on earth did Christopher Nolan select her, I was wondering, before I remembered that she is appreciated, it is just this cinephile that does not exult in her presence – the way Kenneth Branagh saw his part as Sator, the Russian villain was another hard blow
If I am not mistaken, Kenneth Branagh made it on the cover of TIME, with his production of Henry V https://realini.blogspot.com/2023/09/... which he directed and wherein he took the leading role, this being one of excellent films he was involved in, another is Belfast, one of the best in 2021
Indeed, Belfast https://realini.blogspot.com/2022/01/... was emotional, wonderful, albeit Kenneth Branagh has had some outré ideas about stories for the big screen, such as when he gave audiences Agatha Christie murder mysteries, from Death on the Nile to Murder on The Orient Express
The manner in which Branagh portrays Hercule Poirot is not just flawed, but outright irritating, for yours truly https://realini.blogspot.com/2018/10/... and this is the approach taken for Sator, this heinous maniac, who proposes some excessive torture for the Protagonist…
Yes, you could protest and say ‘well, that is what the bad guy has to, he has to be loathsome’ and you are right, only there is something wrong there – again, the spoiler alert is still alert is still in effect, I did not spell it, but said in the second line that this is a flawed note, and I am living up to my promise and criticize…the wrong feature
Now for merits – one must be a ‘merit finder, not a fault finder’ this is what Harvard Professor Tal Ben Shahar says https://realini.blogspot.com/2016/04/... and he has the most popular lectures in the history of that (once) prestigious institution, teaching positive psychology
John David Washington is wondrous as the Protagonist, however little I understand from what he does, I mean, yes, he is in action, trying to save the world (one interlocutor tries to take him down a notch, with a rhetorical question ‘you think you are the only one capable to save the world’) from nuclear Armageddon…
Which is a favorite theme of Chrsitopher Nolan, we could conclude, given that he just won seven Academy Awards for Oppenheimer, that he is concerned by this threat, and we should all be, the tyrant from the Kremlin is just one of those who have nukes, and he keeps threatening the West, another is crazy Kim of North Korea
The Oscars Ceremony took place last night – this is written on March 11, 2024 – and Christopher Nolan has won two Oscars, one for Best Motion Picture of The Year and Best Achievement in Directing, while Oppenheimer took seven in all, including for Best Performance by An Actor in a Leading Role for Cillian Murphy…
Robert Downey Jr finally took home the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as Lewis Strauss, though he should have been a winner thirty two years ago, when he was Charlie Chaplin https://realini.blogspot.com/2017/08/... and then he became a drug addict
He thanked his ‘veterinarian, that is his wife’ in his acceptance speech, a few hours ago, because she is the one who saved him from the hole he was in, with health issues, problems with the law, and no future in movies, as he was at his nadir, and now he is one of the best in his profession, respected and outstanding…
I wonder if Tenet is the film for which Director Christopher Nolan has blown up a real airplane – he is acclaimed for this as well (among so many other things) that he has a way to make it credible, he uses less computer work – in the Jimmy Kimmel speech he referred to the fact that Nolan uses a computer without internet access, does not use email – and for one movie, he used a real aircraft and Tenet could be the one…
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
July 3, 2025
What a cool way to experience a great movie once again. Highly recommended to read along with Erik Voss'es commentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGqbR...
Features some interesting left out dialogue. Some that to my mind is essential, some not so much.
Features some interesting left out dialogue. Some that to my mind is essential, some not so much.
August 11, 2025
Chris Nolan is underappreciated as a screenwriter. This is by far his most confusing movie, and the script only helps a little in this department. But there's something about this one that's so sleek and it has everything you want from a Christopher Nolan movie - amazing action sequences, convoluted but by far the most realistic interpretations of the absurdity of time and an ending that leaves you with more questions than answers. I loved this! Being able to reread certain scenes was very helpful to get a better understanding of some of the more confusing parts.
July 30, 2023
If you think the movie is confusing I can’t even phantom how it would feel if you read the screenplay before seeing it.
Anyhow, Bravo Nolan, idea and execution were spot on, dialogue and female character lacked as usual
Anyhow, Bravo Nolan, idea and execution were spot on, dialogue and female character lacked as usual
Read
July 26, 2023Useful to be able to flip back and forward through the story
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews