The first summer blockbuster of 2020 finally arrives on the last unofficial weekend of summer with Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending thriller “Tenet.”

Nolan’s homage to the spy genre is a globetrotting epic that features some well-crafted action sequences that help gloss over a plot that sometimes gets a little convoluted for its own good.

“Tenet” tells the story of a CIA operative known only as The Protagonist (John David Washington), who is recruited by a mysterious organization to complete a mission that would prevent World War III. The operative soon finds himself immersed in the life of a Russian named Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) who has discovered a way to invert time and is using this discovery to throw the world in chaos.

The Protagonist enlists the help of Sator’s estranged wife (Elizabeth Debicki) and a British agent of mysterious origins (Robert Pattinson) to stop Sator and repair the fabrics of time that the Russian has shredded with his new discovery.

Fans of Nolan will be happy to see the director has included many of his signature moments – including an opening sequence in an opera that feels similar to the heist in the opening minutes of “The Dark Knight.” It’s the first of at least three set pieces where Nolan heightens the action with superb precision that shows why he is one of the best filmmakers working today.

But Nolan has provided a spin, using the time-shifting element of the story to create something that will remind audiences of his work in “Memento.” It’s not quite up to that scale, but Nolan still has some cool visual effects up his sleeve – working with editor Jennifer Lame to stage sequences that often repeat but never feel repetitive.

Washington headlines a great cast, displaying the kind of James Bond coolness that I’m sure Nolan had in mind while completing the script. Debicki continues to impress, while Branagh makes for a compelling heavy. Then there is Pattinson, who continues to distance himself from “Twilight” by proving to be a quality actor with natural screen presence – things that weren’t apparent while playing a sparkly vampire. I look forward to seeing what he can do as Batman.

While “Tenet” is a near master class in how to construct action sequences, the script leaves a little to be desired with Nolan at times trying to get a little too cute in his time-bending mythology. This is the kind of movie that, if you stop and think too much, starts to unravel rather quickly, with Nolan nearly going off the rails like he did in “Interstellar.”

Fortunately, Nolan and the talented cast manage to keep it together. “Tenet” may not be on the level of Nolan’s best work, but it’s still an enjoyable bit of big-budget summer fun.

Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references and brief strong language

Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 12, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow), Franklin Drive-In

Grade: B