“Tenet” (*** out of four) was a captivating time-traveling thriller only from the mind of Christopher Nolan about a C.I.A. agent (John David Washington) who must journey through a twilight world of international espionage involving his handler (Robert Pattinson) and a Russian anarchist (Kenneth Brannagh more-or-less playing the same role he played in “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit”) in order to prevent the escalation of World War III. Writer/director Nolan throws in numerous homages to James Bond and obvious stylistic/thematic parallels to his own “Inception” for a film that is alternately complex, involving, abstract, cerebral, and exciting and sometimes all at once. A little long to be sure but never stops swiftly moving and keeping you involved.