Netflix Just Added Christopher Nolan’s Most Complex and Controversial Film Yet
Christopher Nolan’s 2020 film Tenet is now available to stream on Netflix as of November 1st. The science fiction action thriller has long been considered one of Nolan’s most complex and divisive works.
Tenet stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, and Kenneth Branagh. The story follows a former CIA agent who is recruited into a secret organization to investigate objects moving backward through time and their connection to an attack from the future.
It’s happening. Tenet is now on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/Oh6JGpCZVu
— Netflix (@netflix) November 1, 2025
Nolan spent over a decade developing the concept and took more than five years to complete the screenplay. Filming began in late 2018, with casting in early 2019 and principal photography lasting six months across multiple countries.
The film’s release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually premiering in the UK on August 26, 2020, and in the US on September 3, 2020. Tenet was also Nolan’s last movie released through Warner Bros. Pictures.
The film marked a major milestone as the first Hollywood tent-pole to open in theaters during the pandemic. It earned $365 million worldwide against a $205 million budget, making it the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2020. Despite its commercial success, it divided critics. Some praised its visual effects, action sequences, and intricate plot, while others found the story confusing and difficult to follow.
On Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of critics gave Tenet positive reviews, with the consensus calling it “a visually dazzling puzzle for film lovers to unlock.” Metacritic scored it 69 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. Reviewers described the film as both thrilling and complex. Variety called it a “grandly entertaining, time-slipping spectacle,” while The Times described it as “a delightfully convoluted masterpiece.” Rolling Stone praised John David Washington as a “star-in-the-making” with impressive physical performance, and The Toronto Sun likened the movie to “the cinematic equivalent of a Rubik’s Cube.”
While some critics found the film overly complicated, many acknowledged Nolan’s ambition. Denis Villeneuve called it “a masterpiece” and “an incredible cinematic achievement.” Others noted that while the movie dazzles visually and conceptually, it sometimes sacrifices emotional depth.
Tenet has become known for its challenging narrative, requiring multiple viewings to fully appreciate its time-bending mechanics. Despite mixed reviews, it has gained a strong following among Nolan fans and is often cited as one of his most ambitious projects.
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