Tenet is Christopher Nolan's newest flick, and it's bigger and crazier than anything he's made to this date. However, fans have also argued that it is his most complicated and confusing movie, too. Regardless how much fans enjoyed the action, there were definitely some things to have a headache over.
If viewers thought they left the theater with a few questions, it might be because the movie just failed to answer those questions. Overall, Nolan deserves props for his concept, but some things definitely left viewers scratching their head - because they just didn't make sense.
Reverse Entropy Isn't Really A Thing
This was claimed by Stephen Hawking himself, and it's generally agreed upon that Christopher Nolan is on his own when it comes to the idea of reverse entropy. There's literally even a quote that says not to think about it too much.
Obviously, most viewers of this film probably aren't physicists, but neither is Christopher Nolan. While the theory is out there, anyone with some scientific knowledge might have been confused when it came to reversing one's entropy. This movie and its take on time definitely gave viewers a whirl.
The Sound Mixing
This isn't exactly a plot point of the movie, but it's definitely something that just literally makes no sense - and often doesn't when it comes to Christopher Nolan's chaotic and bold action scenes.
There are many moments in this film where viewers probably felt like they couldn't hear the dialogue, and then felt like they missed something important - and it's probably because the sound was too loud, and the dialogue too quiet. Everyone is probably asking: what's the point of characters talking if viewers can't hear it?
Kat's Motivation
If there's one thing that Christopher Nolan hasn't perfected, it's probably how he writes female characters. Sure, Kat wanted her child back, and she wanted to be free of her abusive and controlling husband.
However, there isn't a single part of the film where Kat (Elizabeth Debicki) has the motivation to just help the Protagonist or Neil, or be a part of something bigger than herself. Her motivation falls flat, and it's pretty boring and traditional, to say the least.
The Past Can Be Changed More Than Once
This is where it gets a bit complicated, if it wasn't already. If there are multiple versions of Neil (Robert Pattinson), Kat, and the others, than how many times can the past actually be changed? Surely, Neil does it more than once.
Yet, viewers see multiple different versions of the same event. So, this begs the question, is the past just inevitably different or is it always the same? How many times can someone go into the past to change something? These questions are even confusing.
Neil's & The Protagonist's Friendship
There are so many theories floating around about when these two were actually friends, and what the extent of their relationship was. Clearly, Neil knows the Protagonist (John David Washington) pretty well.
However, the Protagonist (in real time) hasn't been friends with Neil yet. Fans are still debating whether they actually met before or after the events of the film take place, and what actually happened - on a very general level.
Characters Go Through The Same Time Span A Bunch Of Different Times
This kind of has to do with the past being changed multiple times, but it's also just about traveling 'backwards' or 'forwards' through a time span. Fans might have been a little confused about the orange string - and everything to do with Neil.
It's clear that Neil went through the final mission (the final scene of the movie) at least three times - but that isn't to say he hadn't done it more. So, how many times can someone go through the same time span? Plus, this probably changes things a lot.
Priya's Appearance At The End
After the Protagonist makes Priya promise to leave Kat alone, she clearly breaks her promise, and shows up at Kat's son's school to execute her. Of course, the Protagonist sees this all coming.
However, during the Protagonist and Priya's conversation, it's pretty clear that she doesn't really partake in field work. So, why was she even in the car, especially when she wasn't even going to be the one to shoot Kat? This was definitely just for a set-up for a cool line delivery.
All The Random Characters
Sure, Christopher Nolan always needs a scene with the lead character having a cup of tea with Michael Caine, but what exactly was Michael Caine's purpose? There were many big names that were thrown into the mix, spoke for one scene, and then disappeared altogether.
As if the movie wasn't already complex and overflowing with conversations, it also introduces characters that viewers are never to see again. Do fans even remember what the Protagonist and Michael Caine talked about?
Free Will Exists - But Inversion Does, Too
Inversion generally means that there is no free will, yet the characters claim that "free will exists". They make decisions, but the plot also dictates that they were always going to make that decision. This inherent flaw makes this movie even more confusing.
Regardless of what choices they make, the Protagonist will save all, Kat will jump from the boat, and Andrei Sator will die. So, does free will actually exist? The movie also focuses on the notion that "what's happened, happened", leaving fans definitely confused.
There's No Satisfying Reveal
When it comes to complex and heavy science concepts, all viewers want to feel like they finally understand everything about the flick. Rather, Tenet is a film that is a never-ending circle of confusion and understanding.
A viewer might get something, and then become unsure about something entirely different a moment later. Even at the movie's end, there's no real moment that ties everything together in a way that leaves viewers feeling satisfied. It's a loop of confusion not satiated - even if Nolan meant it to be.