What parents need to know about 'Tenet' (without spoilers)

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

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THE NOLAN-VERSE — Movie theaters are open, kind of.

Some here in Utah are showing films, but it’s a different experience than you’re used to. I had the chance to see Christopher Nolan’s latest time-bending tale "Tenet," and needed precautions were taken. You’re basically given a row to yourself, concessions are an interesting affair and masks must be worn.

It’s up to you if you feel comfortable heading back to the movies to see "Tenet," and if you do, then you may want to know what to expect by way of content in the film.

At its core, "Tenet" is a globe-trotting spy thriller in the vein of James Bond. But instead of cool gadgets and fast cars, "Tenet" relies on intricate plots involving the reversal of time and, well, some fast cars, too.

To see what I thought about "Tenet," read yesterday's review. In this article, I’m here to let you know what you can expect to see in the movie so you can decide if it’s for you and your family. There are no spoilers in this article.

I can't say whether a film is appropriate for you or your kids, only you can make that decision. I’m here to give you information to hopefully help you with your decision.

Sexuality

While this movie is a spy thriller, it does not boast any sex scenes and it only contains a few nods toward sexual relationships. There may be a kiss or two exchanged between characters, but there is nothing passionate about them.

The closest we get to anything sexual in the film is a woman in a bathing suit, which isn’t the focus of the scene and is not meant to be sexual. There are also a couple of quick references to possible infidelity, but again it is not focused on and the plot moves over it quickly.

Language

Nolan’s first two big films had R ratings and included some hard language, but since then his films have been pretty mild. "Tenet" is about on par with many of his other outings where some minor curse words are uttered. One surprise, however, is a very clear and very heated utterance of the so-called R-rated word.

For me, the context of how the word is used says more than just the word itself. In this instance, it’s not used in a sexual manner, but it is very hateful and used at an emotional and disturbing moment of the film. The word seems more prominent because of the context and what’s going on in the scene.

Violence

While that R-rated word could have earned "Tenet" the PG-13 on its own, the violence is where it really earned the rating. From my perspective, "Tenet" was teetering on the edge of an R rating with its violence. When it comes to Nolan's PG-13 movies, I think this may be the most violent. And yes, I’m including "The Dark Knight."

The violence in this film seems more brutal and realistic and there is more blood than I was expecting. Granted it’s not gory or graphic, but it’s present. The brutality comes from the lack of concern for human life some characters take. There are shootings, impalings, explosions, beatings, tortures, manglings and a disturbing scene of domestic violence.

This movie is not for the lighthearted in this area and is very close to an R rating for violence.

Disturbing content

The tone of the film isn’t necessarily dark, but there are some heavy themes and several things will be disturbing for many viewers. The aforementioned domestic violence scene is particularly difficult along with the disregard for human life from some characters, including the villain. The villain might scare some younger audiences and possibly some older ones.

I think "Tenet" will prove more disturbing and harsh than some of the other Nolan films some may be used to.

Conclusion

"Tenet" is not a superhero-level PG-13 or even an "Inception"-level PG-13, but a borderline R-rated spy thriller. The violence is amped up and the language is present, but not persistent.

"Tenet" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references and brief strong language.