I have yet to see “Tenet,” but I’m pretty sure Tom Cruise isn’t in it. And unless Christopher Nolan is really Tom Cruise in a “Mission: Impossible”-style mask, then the actor didn’t direct it, either. So, why is Cruise, someone who doesn’t necessarily take to social media often to talk about his love of specific films (especially ones he’s not starring in), out there spreading his love for “Tenet?”
If you follow Cruise on social media, you might have seen a tweet from him where he included a video of him donning a mask and going to sit in a packed theater to watch Nolan’s latest film on the big screen. He even went so far as to offer a six-word review and said, “Big Movie. Big Screen. Loved it.” Again, we have to ask, why? Why is Tom Cruise out there actively promoting “Tenet?” Well, dear reader, it clearly has nothing to do with “Tenet” (though he probably did enjoy it, we’ll give him that).
As has been discussed time and time again, the entire film industry is anxiously awaiting the box office numbers that “Tenet” brings in as it opens around the world this week and in the US the following week. And you better believe that if there is one person that desperately wants the theatrical experience and traditional release strategy to survive the pandemic more than Christopher Nolan, it’s Tom Cruise. Both men are deeply in love with big, action-filled spectacle films, and Cruise, especially, doesn’t want his brand of massively expensive blockbusters where he can show off his running skills (solo, btw) destroyed by this pesky virus.
Of course, no one honestly expects Nolan and “Tenet” to “save” the industry, but you better believe studio heads and actors/producers like Tom Cruise are very interested in that film’s overall success. Because let’s be honest for a second, if “Tenet” isn’t a massive success (or even a moderate success), then the streaming platforms and theatrical release critics are going to come out of the woodwork and proclaim the end of the big-screen experience as the preferred way people consume films. Surveys and studies have already shown that film fans are changing their viewing habits, and we’ve seen studios such as Universal and Disney begin to experiment with alternative ways to deliver big films.
So, yes, it’s annoying to continue the “‘Tenet’ has to save the industry!” discourse, but if you had any doubt about the importance of the film, just watch the below video of Tom Cruise hanging out with normal people in a crowded theater watching a film he has no financial connection to. Other than a ringing endorsement of “Tenet,” Cruise is saying a lot more.