“Tenet’s” mediocre success could be attributed to its convenient release date. After about six months of theater closures due to Covid-19, “Tenet” is one of the first new movies to hit cinemas across the country. Directed by Christopher Nolan, viewers had relatively high expectations for the film. But in the end, I found it to be a perfect mix of lackluster confusion and intriguing special effects.

Leaving the theater, I could not describe any of the leading characters’ personalities. The movie throws together a group of actors with limited chemistry and sets them on a journey to stop World War III. However, the plot doesn’t truly kick off until halfway through the movie, and by then I had lost interest. Robert Pattinson’s character is bland, and his introduction to the movie seems rushed. As a relatively famous and adorned actor, I had expected Pattinson’s character to be more developed. Nonetheless, his character remains as undeveloped as the rest of the cast. John David Washington, as the leading protagonist, does the best with what he is given. But Washington’s performance is also underwhelming.

Ultimately it’s the special effects that make the film worth the watch in theaters. Time bending is a difficult concept to logically construct, but Nolan approaches “Tenet’s’” special effects in a way that changed my mindset from, “Why am I watching this movie?” to “Wow, that’s kind of cool.” But “kind of cool” wouldn’t worth my watching “Tenet” again. One time was more than enough for me.