Tenet (2020): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch
Tenet is a 2020 action thriller starring John David Washington as Protagonist, Clémence Poésy and Dimple Kapadia. It runs 2 hours 30 minutes and earned $365.3 million worldwide on a $205 million budget. It won 1 Oscar, including Visual Effects, and 4 awards in all. Critics gave it 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and 69 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10. Rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 30m (150 min)
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Budget
- $205M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Tenet About?
The premise of Tenet without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
Amidst rising international tensions, a skilled operative is tasked with a clandestine mission that bends the rules of time. He must journey through inverted realities to understand and thwart a dangerous scheme with the potential to trigger global conflict. Facing an unseen enemy and manipulating the flow of time, he races to prevent a devastating future and safeguard the world.
Tenet Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- time paradox
- time reversal
- car chase
- espionage
- bearded man
- car crash
- swat team
- time travel
- terrorism
- spy
- produced by director
- title spoken by character
+38 more Show fewer
- symphony hall
- final battle
- written by director
- repeated scene
- multiple versions of same scene
- end of the world
- teamwork
- gunfire
- ambigram title
- gun
- skyscraper
- silencer
- train
- wind farm
- sea
- norway
- airport
- repeated scene from a different perspective
- saving the world mission
- bootstrap paradox
- american in the uk
- driving in reverse
- sailboat
- changing the past
- time traveler
- altering the past
- reverse entropy
- time manipulation
- temporal pincer movement
- temporal agent
- tactical team
- palindrome as title
- cheese grater used as weapon
- face scraped with cheese grater
- 2020s
- sailing
- french horn
- title at the end
Where to Watch Tenet
Rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Tenet Cast & Characters
John David Washington leads the cast as Protagonist, with Clémence Poésy as Barbara and Dimple Kapadia as Priya.
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John David Washington as Protagonist -
Clémence Poésy as Barbara -
Dimple Kapadia as Priya -
Elizabeth Debicki as Kat
Also Starring in Tenet
· 10 more- Juhan Ulfsak Passenger
- Denzil Smith Sanjay
- Ivo Uukkivi Uniformed Official
- Andrew Howard Driver
- Jonathan Camp SWAT 2
- Fiona Dourif
- Jefferson Hall Well-Dressed Man
- Himesh Patel
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson
- Carina Velva
Tenet Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Tenet 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and 69 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 75/100, strongest in art & craft (90) and weakest in character & emotion (55).
Tenet Echo Score Breakdown
Tenet delivers an ambitious blend of technical virtuosity and narrative complexity that divides opinion. The film’s inventive action sequences and striking visual compositions are widely praised, while character development and plot clarity elicit mixed responses. The robust sensory design, including practical effects and a dynamic score, impresses despite occasional sound mixing concerns. Its intricate time-bending structure offers significant replay value but can be challenging on first viewing. Ultimately, Tenet stands as a polarizing yet technically accomplished entry in Nolan’s body of work.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 90
Tenet’s direction and cinematography are widely acclaimed for their bold execution. Critics and viewers highlight the ingenuity of practical action set-pieces, from the inverted car chase to the 747 sequence, and the cohesive visual framing throughout. The editing maintains momentum despite complex temporal shifts. Overall, the film excels in its technical artistry.
- Character & Emotion 55
When it comes to character depth, responses are varied with praise for John David Washington’s charismatic lead performance countered by criticism of underdeveloped supporting roles. Some viewers find emotional resonance limited by heavy exposition and sparse chemistry. Dialogue delivery challenges further hinder connection. On balance, character engagement feels uneven and restrained.
- Story & Flow 60
In terms of narrative, Tenet is lauded for its originality and ambitious time inversion concept, offering a puzzle-like structure that intrigues many. However, the coherence and pacing draw criticism for excessive complexity and occasional confusing plot points. Dialogue clarity issues further obscure plot progression. As a result, the storyline is engaging yet demanding.
- Sensory Experience 80
The film’s sensory elements command attention through immersive practical effects, a dynamic visual style, and a resonant score by Ludwig Göransson. Enthusiasts applaud the robust sound design and vivid production design. Some viewers note moments of overpowering music cues and muffled dialogue. Nonetheless, the overall audiovisual presentation remains a standout strength.
- Rewatch Factor 75
Tenet’s layered structure and concealed narrative clues invite multiple viewings, with many viewers reporting deeper appreciation on subsequent watches. The film’s complexity and puzzle mechanics reward attentive engagement, although some feel the lack of character grounding diminishes repeat appeal. Despite divergent opinions, the potential for revealing new details makes revisiting the film worthwhile.
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IMDb 7.3 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 70% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 76%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 69 Metascore
User score 7.3
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 72% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.4 /5
11K ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.3 /5
See on Movie Insider
Tenet Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in Tenet from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
A CIA agent, referred to as the “Protagonist” (John David Washington), is drawn into a perilous extraction mission at a Kyiv opera house. The operation quickly escalates as Ukrainian forces have taken control, staging a hostage situation aimed at eliminating the operative. Under duress, the Protagonist receives orders to either extract the operative or eliminate him. As chaos unfolds, a mysterious masked soldier with a red trinket unexpectedly saves his life by executing the seemingly impossible act of “un-firing” a bullet through a gunman’s weapon.
Full summary
The whole story of Tenet, scene by scene, with the ending explained
Tenet Box Office & Budget
Tenet grossed $365.3 million worldwide on a $205 million budget, 1.8 times what it cost. $58.5 million came from the US and Canada and $306.8 million (84%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$365.3M
1.8× its budget
- US & Canada
- $58.5M
- International
- $306.8M
- Budget
- $205M
Tenet Awards & Nominations
Tenet won 1 Oscar, including Visual Effects, and 4 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Saturn Awards 2021, with 1 win from 10 nominations.
4 wins19 nominations5 ceremonies
-
Saturn Awards 2021 1 win · 10 nominations- Won Best Actor in a Film – John David Washington
- Nominated Best Comic to Motion Picture Release
- Nominated Best Film Director – Christopher Nolan
- Nominated Best Film Editing
- Nominated Best Film Music
-
Critics' Choice 2021 1 win · 5 nominations- Won Best Visual Effects
- Nominated Best Cinematography
- Nominated Best Editing
- Nominated Best Production Design
- Nominated Best Score
-
Oscars 2021 1 win · 2 nominations- Won Visual Effects
- Nominated Production Design
-
BAFTA 2021 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Best Special Visual Effects
Show all 5 ceremonies Show fewer ceremonies
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Golden Globes 2021 1 nomination- Nominated Best Original Score
Tenet Trailers & Videos
7 videos: 4 trailers, 2 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.
- Trailer New Trailer
- Trailer Final Trailer
- Trailer Re-Release Trailer
- Featurette Try And Keep Up: John David Washington and Travis Scott
How Well Do You Know Tenet?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What event initiates the chaos at the opera house in Kiev?
Cars in Tenet
56 cars on screen, including the 2010 Audi Q7 and the 2010 BMW 5 F10.
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2010 Audi Q7 Important role -
2010 BMW 5 F10 Important role -
2003 Hummer H2 Important role -
Iveco EuroTrakker Important role
Tenet Also Known As
18 alternative titles, including “İnanç” and “Verovanje”.
- Also known as
-
- İnanç
- Verovanje
- Merry-Go-Round
- TENET天能
- Dalil
- 信条
- เทเน็ท
- انگاشته
- 테넷
- Тенет
- Довод
- 天能
+6 more Show fewer
- טנט, დოგმა
- Doktrina
- टेनेट
- TENET テネット
- تنت
- عقيدة
Seen Tenet?
Movies Like Tenet
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Inception, 10 Minutes Gone and Jason Bourne.
Articles About Tenet
Our article about Tenet: “The Rise of Streaming Services: Impact on the Film Industry”.
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Streaming
Tenet FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Tenet, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Tenet?
Tenet runs 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes).
When was Tenet released?
Tenet was released on September 3, 2020.
Who is in the cast of Tenet?
Tenet stars John David Washington as Protagonist, Clémence Poésy as Barbara and Dimple Kapadia as Priya, among 14 credited actors.
Where can I watch Tenet?
In the US, Tenet is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did Tenet make at the box office?
Tenet grossed $365.3 million worldwide ($58.5 million domestic, $306.8 million international) on a budget of $205 million.
How is Tenet rated?
Tenet has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69 on Metacritic and 72% on TMDB.
What awards did Tenet win?
Tenet won 4 awards from 19 nominations, including Best Actor in a Film at the Saturn Awards 2021.
Does Tenet have a post-credit scene?
No. Tenet has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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