@"MR_FORD" and @"FILV"
I watched it twice on Google Movies last week (I bought it outright as I know that watching it once is not sufficient).
I consider myself as being part of the target market for this movie, having studied STEM subjects at university, but I really struggled to keep up with this movie.
It is not Nolan's best movie - Inception still keeps that title for me - but, it is his most re-watchable.
What Tenet lacked was depth in the main character (though, we could argue that Nolan intentionally wanted to keep the audience in the dark on this aspect).
Inception had a very humanistic back story to the main character and that, for me, made it the better movie.
However, Tenet is more of a puzzle box than a traditional movie, and it definitely requires multiple viewings (and a healthy dose of researching the inversion concept on Google and YouTube) to fully appreciate and understand it.
After watching the movie a 2nd time, and researching the inversion concept, I have a slightly better idea of what is happening.
However, I still have some questions and will probably watch the movie a 3rd and 4th time over the next year or so to get full closure.
I give the movie a solid 8/10.
Inception gets a 9/10, as it is a more complete movie for me and can be enjoyed and fully appreciated in one sitting.
I would say Tenet is the movie equivalent of a naturally aspirated, manual, 6-cylinder, RWD car. You need to drive it a few times, under good conditions when your head is clear, to gain full satisfaction and appreciation for what it really is. Only a select few people truly appreciate these cars.
Most other blockbusters (FF franchise and most of the MCU and DC movies) are turbo charged, automatic, 4-cylinder, AWD cars. You just get in and you don't really have to do much to get your thrills - everything is easily accessible and the fun is on tap. But, you don't have to work hard to enjoy the experience and that sense of achievement is not there.
Just my 2c.