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Tenet · written by Christopher Nolan · 2020
Scene 9 of 275 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one
An unnamed intelligence operative, recruited into a shadow war fought through time-inverted weapons and objects, teams with an enigmatic ally to stop a dying Russian oligarch from using technology gifted by a dying future to erase the present.
A staged terrorist siege at the Kiev opera — chaos, disguise, and a world where nothing is what it appears to be.
The four American operatives split up in the corridor; the Protagonist checks the boxes alone.
The Protagonist extracts the Well-Dressed Man, giving him two minutes to defect or die, and takes a coat-check ticket for 'the package.'
SWATs and terrorists battle through the concert hall corridor.
This scene
The Protagonist SMASHES the glass – checks the drop to the stalls, pulls out a black rope, ties it to a column...
As they DROP, Terrorist gunfire rings out – they LAND – hiding amongst the UNCONSCIOUS AUDIENCE. The Well-Dressed Man takes a seat, FEIGNS SLEEP – the Protagonist ROLLS under the seats –
BLAM! Terrorists near the stage open fire – SHOTS ring out – hitting two sleeping audience members, nearby – the Well- Dressed Man TWITCHES – the Protagonist holds his ankle – urging him to keep still –
BLAM! A third sleeping audience member is shot – the Protagonist jumps up, DRAWING THE TERRORISTS’ fire away from the Well-Dressed Man –
The Protagonist races towards two REAL UKRAINIAN SWATS who cover him from the Terrorists – one of them goes down.
The Protagonist takes cover beside the real UKRAINIAN SWAT – WHO IS PLANTING A BOMB UNDER THE SEATS... he gestures to the dead SWAT’s pack... the Protagonist unzips the bag to find a BOMB, COUNTING DOWN IN SYNC WITH THE OTHER BOMB –
UKRAINIAN SWAT
(in Ukrainian, impatient)
– What’re you doing? –
The Ukrainian SWAT uses his gun to PROD the Velcro patch on the
Protagonist’s shoulder. It FALLS OFF...
UKRAINIAN SWAT (CONT'D)
(in Ukrainian)
– Who are you? –
The Protagonist is at a loss... BAM! The Ukrainian SWAT is taken out by another ‘SWAT’ –
‘SWAT’
No friends at dusk, huh?
PROTAGONIST
You’ll do.
The Protagonist GRABS the bombs, points at the Well-Dressed Man –
PROTAGONIST (CONT'D)
(to the ‘SWAT’)
Get him to the rally point.
The ‘SWAT’ leads the Well-Dressed Man down a fire exit –