Tenet: Robust, well-plotted, intelligent thriller spy movie

Movie Review: Tenet (2020) on HBO

Ready to have your mind warped? Time warped. Watch the movie Tenet.

A secret agent called simply Protagonist must unravel the mystery of the secret global program called Tenet and stop a Russian oligarch from destroying the world with it. He must work without the help of his government, with no cool toys or tools and only with his wits and what he can learn through stealth and very great care.

Protagonist runs into a number of curious characters with whom he must work to learn the nature of Tenet. One of the closest is an agent named Neil (played by Robert Pattison), who is at his side most of the way. Another is the oligarch's wife, Kat (played by Elizabeth Debicki), whom Protagonist tries to use against him. And there is the oligarch Sator (played by Kenneth Branagh), who is evil personified and intense in his pursuit of the technology behind Tenet. Protagonist is played by John David Washington as this savvy, dedicated, relentless agent. 

This film also features some amazing settings and some unbelievable stunt work through some very complex chase scenes. What makes this so amazing is the mind-bending distortions of time they put the audience (and the characters) through to make this story work. 

Basically, the concept is that Tenet is a device that can reverse entropy, causing cause and effect to reverse by running time backwards. And for this movie to work, you have to be able to accept that and effect can happen before its cause, making it hard for characters to predict what another character might do and how it might affect actions around them. It really is brilliantly handled through the heart of this story. 

If you like robust, well-plotted suspense and an intelligent thriller spy movie, Tenet likely is your movie. I rate it A^ for Above Average. 

Central Intelligence: Watch It for the Comedy and the Actors and You'll Be Fine

Movie Review: Central Intelligence (2016)
Version: HBO on demand

Central Intelligence is a great vehicle for Kevin Hart, maybe not so much for Dwayne Johnson. For Kevin Hart, it shows great range as an actor. For Dwayne Johnson, it rips apart his image as a macho tough guy with softer edges -- his character is a vulnerable guy bullied as a teen, which despite reworking his tubby body into a muscular powerhouse wimps out at the sight of his former bullies.

That said, Central Intelligence is innocent fun for weekend entertainment. The gist of the film is Calvin Joyner (played by Kevin Hart), once elected in high school as most likely to succeed who finds himself 20 years later married to his prom queen high school sweetheart a less than successful accountant, while she's a full partner at a top legal firm. His biggest decision is whether to accompany her to the high school reunion, when out of nowhere comes Bob Stone (played by Dwayne Johnson), a dweeb embarrassed the day of the prom by bullies by forcing him in a full auditorium naked, to the roar of the crowd. But Stone is now totally different, chiseled into a slim, muscle-toned Adonis. Back in high school, Calvin had been Bob's only friend, offering Bob his letter jacket to sneak out of the auditorium, and he wants to make connections with Calvin again, meet up over some drinks. Rather than meet with his wife, Maggie (played by Danielle Nicolet) to discuss going to the class reunion, Calvin chooses the meet up with Bob. And thus ensues an unlikely alliance that becomes an enlistment to help Bob on a CIA mission to secure national secrets, much to Calvin's distaste.

Central Intelligence is a comedy, with Dwayne Johnson playing up a very insecure Bob Stone. It's almost creepy the ease with which he assumes this character. Kevin Hart is masterful as the man out of his element who definitely doesn't want to be there but shoved into the role, but still resisting all the way. Well into the film arrives Justin Bateman as Trevor, the high school bully become stock trader who amiably assists the secret agent duo in uncovering a stock trading code, but then turning on a dime to return to his evil self to torment them. He's actually quite good at playing a bully. Amy Ryan plays Agent Pamela Harris, head of a CIA team trying to stop Bob, who they suspect of being a double agent, and Bob, who they see as his accomplice. Johnson gets to flex his muscles and kick a few asses, so he isn't totally out of his element, and so Central Intelligence also gets to be a typical spy movie at the same time.

There isn't much by way of technology, design, or special effects to make this film stand out. It's all about the comedy and minimal action. Watch it for the story and actors and you will be fine. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed.