Tarantino & Astier Missed the Point: Did Robert Pattinson Crack This 6-Year-Old Sci-Fi Movie Mystery?

Christopher Nolan not only baffled millions of viewers with Tenet, but he also left filmmakers like Tarantino and Alexandre Astier puzzled. However, Robert Pattinson, who played Neil, might be one of the few who truly grasped the film, particularly through the fate of his character.

To recap, the movie features a secret agent played by John David Washington. Armed with just one word, Tenet, he is recruited for a global mission to prevent a catastrophe that could threaten the very existence of humanity.

Playing with Time

During his investigation, he discovers groundbreaking technology that allows the reversal of time for certain objects and individuals. As he attempts to thwart the plans of a powerful tycoon with outsized ambitions, he finds himself in a race against time where past, present, and future intertwine.

Amidst international espionage, temporal manipulations, and global stakes, his mission will lead him to the very edges of time comprehension.

In an interview published in GQ, Robert Pattinson revealed that he had developed a theory about his character, Neil. However, this theory was quickly dismissed by his co-star, John David Washington.

Pattinson was convinced that his character had been dead since the beginning of the story, but Washington did not agree. “I remember telling John David, almost in the last week of filming. I told him: I think I’m dead. I think I’ve always been. And John David replied: You’re not dead. What are you talking about?”, shared the star of Twilight and The Batman.

I told him: I think I’m dead. I think I’ve always been. And John David replied: You’re not dead. What are you talking about?

Robert Pattinson’s Intriguing Theory

What’s most surprising is that Pattinson’s theory might not have been so far-fetched; it even became a popular topic online after the film’s release. What if Pattinson was the only one who truly understood Tenet during the filming?

At the end of Tenet, a mysterious masked soldier wearing an orange talisman sacrifices himself to save the Protagonist, played by John David Washington. By intervening, he ensures the heroes can complete their mission and avert a global catastrophe.

But the real revelation comes moments later. Neil, the character played by Robert Pattinson, reveals he is from the future and was recruited by a future version of the Protagonist. He explains that their friendship and shared adventures extend far beyond the events depicted in the film.

However, for Neil, the story is coming to an end: he knows his fate is already sealed. As he bids farewell to the Protagonist, the camera lingers on the orange talisman attached to his backpack. A detail that confirms a heartbreaking truth: Neil was indeed the masked soldier seen earlier, the one who sacrificed himself to save his friend and ensure the success of their mission.

A Theory That Sparks Debate

In a way, the entire film traces his journey towards an end he already knows: through the unfolding events, he inexorably approaches his own death. A concept as fascinating as it is complex, perfectly illustrating the temporal paradoxes at the heart of the plot.

As often with Tenet, this interpretation remains challenging to grasp and continues to fuel countless debates among viewers. With time inversion, reversed causality, and temporal loops, the film introduces dizzying concepts that make its narrative particularly perplexing.

Moreover, Christopher Nolan himself has explained that Tenet is not necessarily a film meant to be fully understood in every detail. According to him, the work should primarily be experienced as an adventure, felt more than analyzed. This approach contributes both to its uniqueness and its reputation as a film that’s particularly difficult to decipher.

After Tenet, Robert Pattinson teamed up again with Christopher Nolan for The Odyssey, hitting theaters on July 15.

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