Tenet
Armed with only one word - Tenet - and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.
Directed by Christopher Nolan · Spy · Time Travel · Action · 150 min · 2020
Trailer
Director
Christopher Nolan
Writer
Christopher Nolan
Studio
Warner Bros., Syncopy
Release
August 26, 2020
Runtime
150 min
Genres
Spy, Time Travel, Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country
United Kingdom, United States
Budget
$205,000,000 (estimated)
Box office
$376,598,702 worldwide ($58,504,105 domestic; $9,353,090 opening weekend)
Awards
Won 1 Oscar; 49 wins & 135 nominations total.
Full Plot
In a twilight world of international espionage, an unnamed CIA operative, known as The Protagonist, is recruited by a mysterious organization called Tenet to participate in a global assignment that unfolds beyond real time. The mission: prevent Andrei Sator, a renegade Russian oligarch with precognitive abilities, from starting World War III. The Protagonist will soon master the art of "time inversion" as a way of countering the threat that is to come.
Cast & Characters
Protagonist
John David Washington
Kat
Elizabeth Debicki
Sator
Kenneth Branagh
Fay
Martin Donovan
Barbara
Clémence Poésy
Priya
Dimple Kapadia
Sanjay
Denzil Smith
Ives
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Crosby
Michael Caine
Did You Know?
Also known by the working title "Merry-Go-Round."
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-03
The production purchased and crashed a real 747 airplane into a hangar using all practical effects, as it proved more efficient than miniatures or CGI.
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-03
"The Plan," written by Travis Scott, Wondagurl, and Ludwig Göransson and performed by Travis Scott, features on the soundtrack.
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Tenet holds 7.3/10 on IMDb (701K votes), 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a Metascore of 69 from 521 critic reviews.
“A visually dazzling puzzle for film lovers to unlock, Tenet serves up all the cerebral spectacle audiences expect from a Christopher Nolan production.” — Rotten Tomatoes (critics consensus)
A $376.6M worldwide gross against a $205M budget is a comparatively soft return for a Nolan tentpole — likely reflecting both its September 2020 pandemic-era release and a script many reviewers found deliberately, sometimes frustratingly, difficult to follow even at 70% RT.
Ratings as of August 3, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedTenet's 70% RT score and comparatively modest $376.6M gross (against a $205M budget) mark it as the clearest commercial underperformer of Nolan's post-Inception run — though that's inseparable from its September 2020 release into a pandemic-gutted box office, not just audience reaction to its notoriously dense plotting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tenet's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Tenet holds a 70% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Tenet's IMDb rating?+
Tenet has a 7.3/10 rating on IMDb from 701K votes.
What is Tenet's Metacritic score?+
Tenet has a Metascore of 69/100 on Metacritic.
Is Tenet good? What are critics saying?+
Tenet holds 7.3/10 on IMDb (701K votes), 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a Metascore of 69 from 521 critic reviews.
How long is Tenet?+
Tenet has a runtime of 150 min.
Who directed Tenet?+
Tenet was directed by Christopher Nolan.
Where can I watch Tenet?+
Tenet is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV, Now TV Cinema, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, HBO Max, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Here is a summary of public reaction to the movie "Tenet" in 2-3 sentences: Critics have found the film confusing and unclear due to its unique time inversion concept, but fans praise it for being an "uninteresting" experience that pays homage to Christopher Nolan's previous work. Reviewers appreciate the film's visuals and action sequences, as well as its sound design and cinematography. Despite some criticisms of poor pacing and inconsistent rules, Tenet has been praised for being a visually stunning and thought-provoking sci-fi thriller.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
I fully understand that Christopher Nolan is trying to play with time, as that what's the movie's about - and yes, he is known for confusing movies - but here, Nolan has made something uninteresting. The idea of things going backwards is cool, but the rules are unclear. We never…
SWITCH. · 6/10If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com Christopher Nolan has delivered some of my favorite movies of the century. All the way from Memento to the most recent Dunkirk, I've yet to dislike one of his films, so expectations a…
Manuel São Bento · 8/10There is a moment midway through this film where you can suddenly feel everything clicking into place. Up until this point, the film has been entertaining, with some great set pieces and a scope that is trademark Nolan, but the central hook of the film - “time inversion” - has fe…
Simon Massey · 9/10I was recently asked if this was better or worse than Inception. Personally, I don’t think you can compare any of his films outside the fact that he made them. Like those made by Tarantino, each film is its own living masterpiece ... If you are a fan of Nolan, this is a must see!
Daniel · 10/10**_An aesthetic showcase that's completely uninterested in human beings (and for the love of God, what does Christopher Nolan have against decent sound mixing?)_** > S A T O R > > A R E P O > > T E N E T > > O P E R A > > R O T A S - Sator square (date unknown) >_The laws of scie…
Stephen Campbell · 2/10I believe Tenet is very underrated. This movie is just too good! The soundtrack, the action, the plot, the acting, the cinematography, and the fact that CGI wasn't really involved much! Yet it was indeed challenging to understand. However, after watching Dark, I didn't face much…
Taha · 10/10Been a fan of Christopher Nolan's films but this one didn't quite do it for me. One, confusing story that was hard to follow at times (I got the gist), but beyond that, wasn't terribly entertained. Acting was shaky, Pattison was fine but really disappointed with John David Washin…
JPV852 · 6/10I’m a bit annoyed I couldn’t understand the first twenty minutes because of the bombastic bass and a bit underwhelmed by the lack of an emotional arc, but all things considered, Tenet is an epic, mind-blowing James Bond film masquerading as a Christopher Nolan film.
Nolan's latest movie is one of his worst. An exaggerated film whose only purpose is to complicate the viewer, but I wish he could do it with cinema. These ambiguities are created only by the chaotic and crowded montage and a series of theoretical dialogues, and no cinema is seen…
Arshia Borjali · 1/10man, oooh maaann <blockquote>everything bumps into each other.</blockquote> F*ck. yes, another <i>time sh*t</i> by Nolan. people seem to hate or despute it, but I am enjoyed the film. the inverted fight, so much to hit my brain. u might call me Nolan's b*tch but i am. idc. this s…
yahyaharyantoo · 10/10It was a long time since I watched a new blockbuster movie and, mostly for personal reasons, even longer since I actually reviewed a movie, blockbuster or not. I guess this movie is not the most simple one to pick to get my reviews/blogging back on track but there’s not that much…
Dark Jedi · 7/10Appreciated this film more than any Nolan film since The Dark Knight. Usually his films aim for high concept but get weighed down by syrupy schmaltz. This one ditches his unconvincing attempts at emotional/philosophical depth and just focuses on the very creative core concept of…
sporkproductions · 7/10‘Tenet’ is clearly Nolan's most ambitious project to date, but the highly packed and complex plot make it difficult to fully enjoy the movies mindblowing rules of time-inversion within a single view. 8/10
AstroNoud · 10/10‘Tenet’ is clearly Nolan's most ambitious project to date, featuring action scenes we never saw before and with a magnificent score by Göransson. The highly packed and complex plot make it difficult to fully enjoy the movies mind-blowing rules of time-inversion within a single vi…
AstroNoud · 10/10Tenet on paper is a super interesting that I think I would have a great time with, but the execution fell flat on its face. The entire plot is so purposefully convoluted that it is really hard to follow. Christopher Nolan whips from one scene to another so fast to cram as much ex…
Nathan · 3/10Christopher Nolan is a crazy and insane person. There is no dispute about this. What Nolan is trying to convey to the viewers is an adventure that is difficult to imagine on your own. It is also difficult to imagine its events and facts. It is also difficult to photograph many mo…
Andre Wilfred Sanders · 8/10Fine, but next time with subtitles.
James · 5/10**CONFUSE THE ... CAT!** I think this movie will divide viewers into 3 groups: 1.) The group that thinks that this movie is a flawless masterpiece, like everything Christopher Nolan does, has ever done, and will ever do. 2.) The group that argues that this movie is a vastly overr…
cineast78 · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
Space: Interstellar Mind: Memento Time: Tenet Reality: Inception Soul: Insomnia Power: The Dark knight Christopher has officially collected all the stones.
@christiancueto6469 · 13870 likesChris Nolan: I’m making a new... Michael Caine: Son of a b*tch I’m in
@danedavid · 3192 likesDue to Corona virus, Nolan has decided to postpone the movie premiere to last year.
@ricardonavarroflores6887 · 7439 likes"Nuclear Holocaust." "No. Something worse. 2020."
@amorélittrellfellini · 1908 likesJust saw the movie, so excited for the trailer!!!!!
@guzunnicolae9663 · 27099 likesI'm going to walk into the theatre backwards to mess with everyone's minds.
@thebatman4279 · 11187 likes'50% seating capacity in Theatres.' Nolan : So we will make them watch it Twice...
@sherlockholmes5504 · 1205 likesNolan writes a new script Time : Ah shit, here we go again.
@eftearrahman2757 · 5431 likes
