Christopher Nolan’s Tenet has viewers divided over use of sound design

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Even with a couple of extra months to fine-tune and perfect the sound mix in light of COVID-19 delays, Christopher Nolan's TENET is still earning the ire of film buffs and audiophiles around the globe.

Nolan, a notorious perfectionist, likely has mixed the sound for TENET in anticipation of theaters taking a tuning fork and high-quality headphones to ensure each seat gets the optimal experience while listening to his movie. Alas, with most movie theaters designed to show TENET as well as films that include lesser sound design, reactions are saying the movie is not only hard to hear but echo complaints going all the way back to THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and INTERSTELLAR. While I doubt that the TENET sound team had the cast record their lines through Tom Hardy's Bane mask, that is what the consensus is for those who have seen the film on the big screen.

“This isn’t unusual for Chris’ films,” a studio insider recently commented. “But with eight nominations for sound and five wins, the record speaks for itself.”

One U.K. exhibitor had shared their frustration on Twitter by saying that the trouble stems from the film's 35mm print and that they would be switching to the digital version for better sound quality. In time, others said that they too were experiencing issues with the audio, resulting in a frustrating theater-going experience. Obviously, this situation is not ideal, as many theaters and their patrons have been hanging onto the release of TENET like grim death in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Be that as it may, it's become common knowledge that Nolan's films are meticulously curated, especially in the department of sound design. His methods may not be ideal for most theaters, but they pack one hell of a punch for high-end auditoriums and headphones alike. One might even argue that if you're planning to see TENET in theaters, make certain that you snag tickets for an IMAX screening.

“The sound mixes for Christopher Nolan films are painstakingly considered," one anonymous supervising sound editor told Variety. "Everything you hear (or don’t hear) is the result of ultra-conscious direction.” He adds: “If you understand ‘the gist’ of the dialogue, then they’re happy. As a dialogue editor, I prefer to understand each word, but that’s my preference.” Then, in talking about TENET's "excellent sound team," the sound mixer says: “I know Nolan does like to push the envelope. He’s an artist and I don’t think he believes in working to the lowest common denominator of projection environments.” Lastly, the mixer then added: “When you are listening in a perfect mixing theater environment and push the limits of the system, it’s surprising how much this sound mix can translate differently in different theaters.”

On the other end of the argument, Peter Albrechtsen, a sound designer who worked on DUNKIRK, says otherwise. He suggests that Nolan does his best to ensure that “every cinema is playing the film exactly as he wants it,” Albrechtsen says. “And that’s why he’s still mixing sound in 5.1, even though we now have Atmos, because that’s the format most cinemas have.” To Nolan's credit, Albrechtsen also said that the way the director commands sound is "very visceral." He then adds: “It’s a very intense sonic experience, and I can see why, for some, that’s quite overwhelming. The environments in his film are very vibrant, and so that's why Nolan chooses to design his audio with as much care as his visuals.

For more on Nolan's meticulous and maddening approach to audio, be sure to check out Variety's full report.

Have you been to the theater to see TENET yet? How was the sound quality during your time with the movie? Let us know in the comments section below.