Review of Oppenheimer (2023) by Jluis_001 — 21 Jul 2023

Christopher Nolan is quite a renowned director, so much so that he has successfully secured major studio financing for films that few other directors may ever have the opportunity to direct. However, up until this point, the majority of his works have revolved around science fiction, and even with a film like Dunkirk in his repertoire, Oppenheimer is the film that feels like his graduation.

While this film might not be the magnum opus I had in mind, I reiterate that I judge based on results rather than expectations. Despite encountering a few execution and tonal hiccups, it remains a great piece of work and showcases Nolan's most mature and sober effort in his entire career.

And incidentally it's supported by an exceptional performance from Cillian Murphy who I believe has delivered the definitive role of his profession.

The cast is huge, but the big names are Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. who succeeds in completely shedding the Tony Stark persona. And it's not that I doubted he could pull it off, but there are a lot of people who only know him for that role.

I'll admit, the three-hour length doesn't really impact the film's overall performance, but it does affect how time is handled. Throughout the movie, we see jumps to various time periods, yet everything centers on the testing of the first nuclear bomb, which happens in the second hour. It's at this point that Oppenheimer takes a different turn, delving into the aftermath of the act and the devastating attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, so the issues becomes about politics and moral repercussions.

It definitely doesn't change the effect of what the story is trying to tell but I could notice that the audience's reaction changed in that hour because everything after that moment is pure dialogue. As I said we are talking about something serious, but I can understand how some will be conflicted when their idea of entertainment is shaken by the fact that in that particular hour they are no longer building suspense but dealing with the consequences of what a legacy implies. And what a legacy we're talking about.

Oppenheimer delivers the goods and that's the most important thing about it.

It's a great movie that has to be seen in the big screen because it is made for them.