TENET

[Blade Hoarder]

These people are unbelievably out of touch. What? Did they really think people would risk their lives to go watch a movie?

 

[TheVileOne]

All I can think is that they were hoping even in this pandemic climate that releasing a big movie like TENET maybe would've kickstarted theatrical exhibition a little more.

I don't agree with that mindset, but I imagine that was the logic.

I kind of wonder if the future of theatrical exhibition will be just like what Disney has with the El Capitan Theatre just on a larger scale. Like a movie studio will buy a big movie theater and just play all their movies there and possibly rent them out to smaller studios or independents?

Also that's pure speculation spitballing on my part.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

They really should have waited. I don't know if it was Nolan or WB, but somebody with common sense should have stepped in and spelled out the obvious.

It's admirable that they wanted to help cinemas out, but must have known they would be losing ALOT of money by doing so and I fear WW84 may be heading down the same stubborn path.

WB's TENET took the theatre bullet and Disney's MULAN took the premium streaming bullet.

 

[Asr]

These people are unbelievably out of touch. What? Did they really think people would risk their lives to go watch a movie?

Not to play the proverbial devil's advocate or anything remotely like that, but incidentally and paradoxically, the local movie theaters I've been to over the past couple weeks (an AMC and Alamo Drafthouse) are the only indoor public spaces where I've felt the safest in terms of social distancing for COVID. The local supermarkets are all pretty much a crazy house at all hours of the day and always have people who get too damn close for comfort, and while the experiences I've had dining in at restaurants were better, it's never been ideal.

In contrast, when I saw Tenet it was 5 other people in a theater that normally houses about 200. When I saw a different movie at a local Alamo Drafthouse, it was about 10-15 in a theater that normally houses about 150. The people closest to me were probably about 20 feet away. And both theaters had plenty of hand sanitizer dispensers available as well.

Basically my point is that if people actually want to see movies at their local theaters, there's probably no better time to do it since the majority of folks aren't showing up, which is maximizing the social distancing.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Not to play the proverbial devil's advocate or anything remotely like that, but incidentally and paradoxically, the local movie theaters I've been to over the past couple weeks (an AMC and Alamo Drafthouse) are the only indoor public spaces where I've felt the safest in terms of social distancing for COVID. The local supermarkets are all pretty much a crazy house at all hours of the day and always have people who get too damn close for comfort, and while the experiences I've had dining in at restaurants were better, it's never been ideal.

In contrast, when I saw Tenet it was 5 other people in a theater that normally houses about 200. When I saw a different movie at a local Alamo Drafthouse, it was about 10-15 in a theater that normally houses about 150. The people closest to me were probably about 20 feet away. And both theaters had plenty of hand sanitizer dispensers available as well.

Basically my point is that if people actually want to see movies at their local theaters, there's probably no better time to do it since the majority of folks aren't showing up, which is maximizing the social distancing.

Yep, personally Covid doesn’t overly worry me but I follow guidelines to the letter for the benefit of other people who it would bother and who would suffer if they caught it.

Even then, I felt VERY safe when I went to see Tenet, I was one of about 5 people in the screening and we couldn’t have been more spaced out.

 

[Iceman]

That’s kind of the point though. You can’t make a whole lot of money if there are 5 people to a cinema screening.

 

[flickchick85]

My screening was “sold out” at 40% capacity and I still felt safer there than when I stopped at the grocery store on the way home. The IMAX auditorium was huge with seats well spaced out, which helped.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

That’s kind of the point though. You can’t make a whole lot of money if there are 5 people to a cinema screening.

Oh yeah I know, but gotta consider I saw the movie after it had already been on the cinema for over 2 months.

I think that normally happens to most movies after about 3 weeks. At least here in the UK. Which I know you’re from IM.

 

[Prison Mike]

I’m curious to see how this movie does this weekend in NY. Doubt it will make much of a difference from prior weekends. I think everyone who have really wanted to see this movie already have so not sure if it will create much new business.

 

[Mysteryman]

I don't think any film short of a surprise Avengers movie was going to do big numbers these days. No, Tenet isn't some ultimate crowd-pleaser--frankly, it's a cold mess of a movie, if still impressive in some ways--maybe Wonder Woman would have had a bit more legs and positive WOM (is anyone actually looking forward to Black Widow? Looks pretty dull to me and I don't understand why it wasn't Phase 2 or something), but I doubt WW84 would have made a whole lot more than what Tenet's doing.

Personally, I CAN’T WAIT FOR BLACK WIDOW! Who’s with me?

 

[Mysteryman]

I really don’t know what they expected.

To do better.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

To do better.

Wow, are you a PI at all?

 

[Airwings]

Personally, I CAN’T WAIT FOR BLACK WIDOW! Who’s with me?

I am

 

[Doctor Jones]

Finally seeing this tomorrow in IMAX. My theater opened up.

 

[flickchick85]

Hope you enjoy it!

 

[Persona]

Film hasn't fared well in my looking back on it, but maybe the home watch with captions will help it.

It is almost maxi-plot, anti-story in a way, which would be ok if not for all the poorly mixed exposition it seemed like I was supposed to ingest.

It was a cool theater experience in some ways but unlike almost all of Nolan's films besides Insomnia and TDKR, I don't enjoy reflecting on it.

 

[Neil McCauley]

I think Nolan is good at writing characters, and he does have some great ones for sure. He's ok with Females since I did like Catwoman, Murph, Natalie or Kat.

he doesn’t write archetypes, one note or stoic characters actually. I saw Bane, Cobb and Lenny and none of them had this stuff or exposition, even though some of his movie have some exposition dialogues. And he’s great on the story.

Tenet is a solid 7/10 for me, and I want to rewatch it when it comes in blue ray.

 

[TheVileOne]

Not to play the proverbial devil's advocate or anything remotely like that, but incidentally and paradoxically, the local movie theaters I've been to over the past couple weeks (an AMC and Alamo Drafthouse) are the only indoor public spaces where I've felt the safest in terms of social distancing for COVID. The local supermarkets are all pretty much a crazy house at all hours of the day and always have people who get too damn close for comfort, and while the experiences I've had dining in at restaurants were better, it's never been ideal.

In contrast, when I saw Tenet it was 5 other people in a theater that normally houses about 200. When I saw a different movie at a local Alamo Drafthouse, it was about 10-15 in a theater that normally houses about 150. The people closest to me were probably about 20 feet away. And both theaters had plenty of hand sanitizer dispensers available as well.

Basically my point is that if people actually want to see movies at their local theaters, there's probably no better time to do it since the majority of folks aren't showing up, which is maximizing the social distancing.

I definitely understand this logic Asr, but that's also not necessarily good for the theaters either. Though I guess it's better than nothing?

I did see Tenet in a theater in Orange County, and as far as an indoor space, I felt quite safe there because it was basically empty.

 

[TheVileOne]

Film hasn't fared well in my looking back on it, but maybe the home watch with captions will help it.

It is almost maxi-plot, anti-story in a way, which would be ok if not for all the poorly mixed exposition it seemed like I was supposed to ingest.

It was a cool theater experience in some ways but unlike almost all of Nolan's films besides Insomnia and TDKR, I don't enjoy reflecting on it.

That whole "don't think feel" style works better in a movie like Mad Max where it's minimal dialogue and the story is built more around the visual storytelling and the pacing more. But there was a ton of clunky, talky verbose dialogue in Tenet.

 

[BatLobster]

I have one bone to pick. People seem very eager to dunk on Tenet for releasing, saying it was all a mistake, it hurt theaters more than it helped, while further spreading the virus etc.

The problem is....theaters badly wanted to open. In a year where they have lost billions of dollars, with no sign of receiving any government aid, they were craving a big release like Tenet. I mean, indoor dining is open in NJ where I live. One of the hardest hit states which the highest population density. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but that is what has been permitted to happen at the state level. And you have restaurants that are getting in trouble for breaking the 25% capacity rule. I've also seen data that suggests 6 feet apart in a restaurant isn't really doing all that much.

This isn't to imply that a movie theater is so much safer or anything. But I think between assigned seating and knowing ahead of time how many people will be in there before you go in, private screenings, being selective about the showtime you choose, choosing to stay masked the whole time and not eat, etc...there are many more ways to take steps to make going to a movie a much safer experience than eating in a restaurant.

The problem is there is not enough consistency with how we've handled Covid. I can't wrap my ahead around why indoor dining would be okay while a movie theater is simultaneously NOT okay. And I'm not arguing that either is great...but maybe people should focus their ire more towards the state rulings on this stuff as opposed to supply attempting to meet demand when it's been given the greenlight by local government. The industry was desperate and really hurting to try and kickstart something to slow the bleeding. A studio and filmmaker was trying to show solidarity by not caving to pressure to release on VOD. And Tenet has ultimately made something in the ballpark of what Dunkirk did overseas. Given the circumstances that's not bad at all. The problem was with the US. If states hadn't opened up theaters, this would've just been an overseas release. They were moving forward with plans to start it overseas, and then slowly rollout in the US wherever theaters opened, even if it meant the largest markets were closed. But this very well may have helped give theaters a boost overseas.

And assuming Wonder Woman came out instead and performed better, I guarantee you that a lot of these very same people shaming Tenet would be celebrating how "Wonder Woman saved cinema!" Not showing the same level of concern for the safety implications of a movie actually performing WELL. I'm sorry but it's a hyperbolic, overly simplistic narrative that overlooks so many of the various factors at play.

/endrant

 

[Stringer]

That whole "don't think feel" style works better in a movie like Mad Max where it's minimal dialogue and the story is built more around the visual storytelling and the pacing more. But there was a ton of clunky, talky verbose dialogue in Tenet.

I'm actually surprised how much of an apt movie comparison this is and Nolan definitely should be held to the same standard as Miller who flat out executed his vision better than Nolan did. Both even have the same themes of trust in others and hope towards the end. I think I enjoyed Tenet a lot more than those here, but I can't deny it's flaws.

 

[Prison Mike]

I think it all comes down to the fact that in general, people just don’t care to see movies in theaters anymore. If everyone was lining up to see Tenet then you would have had every screen sold out (and it would be much easier to do that now with 25% max capacity). But you’re only seeing one or two people in a theater right now. I don’t think the demand is there as much as the theaters want you to believe.

 

[shauner111]

Guys...

I wasn’t completely wrong...but..

I was kinda wrong.

 

[samsnee]

I think it all comes down to the fact that in general, people just don’t care to see movies in theaters anymore. If everyone was lining up to see Tenet then you would have had every screen sold out (and it would be much easier to do that now with 25% max capacity). But you’re only seeing one or two people in a theater right now. I don’t think the demand is there as much as the theaters want you to believe.

Agree somewhat. But I think Tenet was the wrong movie to test this with. Right now, if a Marvel movie opened, and no one showed, you’d have your answer.

 

[Prison Mike]

Agree somewhat. But I think Tenet was the wrong movie to test this with. Right now, if a Marvel movie opened, and no one showed, you’d have your answer.

True but it would have to be of Endgame caliber. I don’t think something like Black Widow would fare much better than Tenet.