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Christopher Nolan’s stunning new brainteaser ‘Tenet’ is a complex race against time to save the world. The film is considered a litmus test: is there already enough audience coming to the cinema to recoup the immense investments of a blockbuster?
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We had to wait a long time for it, but with ‘Tenet’ finally another blockbuster ends up in the cinema. Christopher Nolan’s (50) action thriller is the first large-scale production that has taken Hollywood out of the freezer since Covid-19 paralyzed our lives – and our cinema visits.
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At the beginning of July, the Belgian cinemas were cautiously allowed to open their doors again, but the offer was at best limited to interesting arthouse titles and reprises of classics, including Nolan’s ‘Inception’ and ‘Dunkirk’. All the major titles that traditionally occupied the halls during the summer months were systematically moved to a later, often indefinite date. Nobody dared to stick their neck out.
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‘We really need a film that can get the whole circuit going again’, says Johan Van Schaeren of the Leuven arthouse cinema Cinema Zed. ‘People have to regain the reflex to come to the cinema. They need to feel that something is happening that they shouldn’t miss. We haven’t seen such a flagship film for a long time. ‘
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Fire to the fuse
That white knight finally presents itself, and ‘Tenet’ is definitely an event too. At the center is a CIA agent (played by John David Washington) who is ordered to stop a Russian arms dealer (Kenneth Branagh) from destroying the world. It sounds like a James Bond film, but as usual, Nolan takes a decidedly intellectual angle to it. In addition to espionage and action, ‘Tenet’ is also science fiction, with technology that enables humans to reverse the direction of time.
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‘Tenet’ has to collect at least 450 million euros worldwide to break even. The previous times, Nolan has always effortlessly rounded that cape. But in a world where many cinemas remain closed and the open halls are not running at full capacity, the cards are different.
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This combination produces stunning action scenes and a very unpredictable film. The downside is that Nolan needs just a little too many explanatory scenes to keep the plot more or less comprehensible and that the complexity eventually undermines the tension.
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However, ‘Tenet’ remains the ideal candidate to light the fire everywhere. Nolan is one of those rare filmmakers to score in commercial multiplexes as well as art house cinemas. ‘His films fit very well into our programming,’ confirms Van Schaeren, ‘and they also mean something in terms of box office. ‘Dunkirk’ was one of the most visited titles we’ve ever had. ‘ Nolan’s work combines spectacle with content, and ‘Tenet’ is no exception.
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Immersive
Nevertheless, Hollywood studio Warner Bros is taking a great risk by releasing ‘Tenet’ in the current context. In comparison, Disney eventually decided to move its other surviving summer cracker, ‘Mulan’, to its new streaming service Disney +. It will only be seen in the cinema in countries where that platform is not yet available.
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However, Nolan is known as a rabid fan of the silver screen. “I’ve been a big fan of cinema and epic spectacles all my life,” he says in a video addressed to the Chinese audience. ‘I like to escape to another world through the power of films. With ‘Tenet’ we tried to make a movie that is as big as possible, with extremely immersive action that is meant for the big screen. ‘
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Whether those words convince to attract enough viewers to the cinema is an open question. The presale, which started on August 12, already points in the right direction. ‘We sold 100 tickets in the first six days,’ says Van Schaeren. ‘That is quite a lot, given the limited capacity of the rooms, the mouth mask obligation and the fact that people are extra careful due to the new wave of infections.’
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That success will also be needed. ‘Tenet’ cost 200 million euros, the second largest budget in Nolan’s career – after the closing ‘Batman’ episode ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. Insiders assume that ‘Tenet’ has to collect at least 450 million euros worldwide to break even. The previous times, Nolan has always effortlessly rounded that cape. But in a world where many cinemas remain closed and the open halls are not running at full capacity, the cards are different.
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Litmus test
The big advantage is that ‘Tenet’ has the playing field to itself. It almost makes sense that he automatically occupies the largest room (or rooms). In addition, Warner insists that the film remain on the bill for at least eight weeks. In the United States, the Hollywood studio even demands a hefty 63 percent of gross ticket revenues. In Belgium, the limit is legally fixed at 50 percent.
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Three Christopher Nolan blockbusters
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
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Nolan proved with his Batman film that the superhero genre can also have a strong storyline with intellectual density. The film crossed the line of
$ 1 billion in global revenue.
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The director likes to question human nature by playing with time, identity and memory. The best example was ‘Inception’, with Leonardo DiCaprio in the role of an industrial spy who invades the dreams of his victims. The film cost $ 160 million, but grossed $ 830 million.
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‘Interstellar’ (2014)
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The universe is another hobbyhorse of Nolan. This film was greatly appreciated for its portrayal of Matthew McConaughey as an astronaut and for its scientific precision. On a budget of 165 million dollars, ‘Interstellar’ brought in almost 680 million.
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To minimize the risk, Warner has chosen to adapt the release to the health situation of each country. It means that ‘Tenet’ starts this week in 70 countries. Most are European, including Belgium. The United States, where Covid-19 is far from under control, will not get its turn until September 3, and then only in certain cities. Nobody knows what that strategy will yield, nor whether it opens the door to piracy.
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©AFP
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Regardless, all of Hollywood sees ‘Tenet’ as a litmus test for the fate of blockbusters in these strange times. Will the film succeed in luring the masses back – in responsibly dispersed order of battle – to the cinemas? Then the competition will undoubtedly follow and we get to see ‘Wonder Woman 1984’, ‘Black Widow’ and the new Bond ‘No Time to Die’ this year. In the other case, the studios will continue to push their expensive blockbusters and a gigantic congestion threatens in 2021.
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‘Tenet’ plays in the cinemas from Wednesday 26 August.
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