Review of Oppenheimer (2023) by Rebecca31 — 23 Jul 2023

Nolan’s back again only this time with a biography about “the father of the atomic bomb,” J. Robert Oppenheimer. Prepare yourself for a Summer blockbuster unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. In a 3 hour spectacular movie that demands your full attention. Spanning from Oppenheimer’s early life, his time leading the Manhattan project & the creation of the devastating bomb that the Americans used to end the war. See it on the big screen like you’ll never believe. And if you have the opportunity to see it in 35/70mm or IMAX then take it.

It really is an amazing achievement to create a movie that is essentially people talking in different rooms for 3 hours & have it being one of the year’s greatest movies. Directed by a true master filmmaker, Christopher Nolan has further cemented himself as one of the best and he’s the best for a reason. The trailer gave us only a taste of what’s in store. Although knowing the outcome, the sheer level of tension packed into this film is enthralling. It perfectly captures the overly ambitious men in their mission to create something that no one should ever have – “now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” Oppenheimer is an expertly crafted story that is horrifying, chilling & will leave you in awe.

You are watching a Christopher Nolan film which means don’t expect time to be linear, it’s told across various different time periods from Oppenheimer’s studies at Cambridge, the beginning of the Manhattan project, the trinity test in 1945 and the subsequent controversies in Oppenheimer’s later life. It can be a little confusing as one would expect from a Nolan movie but it uses a mix of colour and black and white shots to illustrate different character point of views.

It certainly deserves all the awards coming to it & there are so many Oscar worthy performances with the stand out one being Cillian Murphy. After years of working together, Murphy has finally been given the chance at a lead in a Nolan movie & he really shows us what a stunning actor he really is. His performance is haunting, he’s in almost every scene & was the perfect choice to play a guilt ridden Oppenheimer. Although much of the weight is carried by Cillian Murphy, Nolan has always understood the importance of a strong supporting cast. They consist of Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Jason Clarke, Alden Ehrenreich, Kenneth Branagh, Benny Safdie & Tom Conti. That’s not even all of them, the list is very impressive and each & every one of them brought their best to Oppenheimer. When Nolan calls, you say yes because it doesn’t matter if you’re only in one scene, you’re in a damn Christopher Nolan movie.

With amazing practical effects, it’s a movie clearly made for the big screen. That’s right you read that correctly it’s practical effects, no CGI. Nolan has always prioritised real sets, real effects & no he didn’t set off a real atomic bomb but the entire trinity test sequence is mesmerizing to witness & you really do want to see it on the biggest screen possible. Everything from the sound & editing will scar scenes into your mind forever. The crowd sequence afterwards is one of the most haunting things I’ve ever seen on film & the way in which Cillian Murphy conveys the horror of what he’s created is a masterclass in acting. With so many layers, the beauty of Nolan’s movies is you get something new with every rewatch. It’s powerful and does not shy away from the dark side of humanity in the creation of a devastating weapon of war. A cinematic masterpiece. Sound & music are always used very effectively in Nolan’s movies & Ludwig Göransson delivers yet another stunning score that perfectly captures the emotions surrounding a dark moment in human history. So much emotion expressed through the violin, it’s a sensational movie score.

Honestly I’ll be thinking about this film for weeks afterwards. For anyone who’s been left emotionally traumatised after the experience then fear not because as luck would have it, the perfect film is available to de-stress after Oppenheimer. The polar opposite to a historical biopic, Barbie is also out, in what looks like cinema’s most successful weekend in years. Audiences are jaded from the endless parade of remakes and sequels to already well established franchises but more of these original stories made by proper filmmakers will be the saviour to struggling cinemas. And the question was never which one do you want to see, it’s which one do you want to see first. It’s terrific to see so many people enjoying themselves in the cinema for these movies & whichever you went to see first this weekend I hope you enjoyed it.

Am I recommending Oppenheimer? Of course I am, Christopher Nolan is one of my favourite directors but whether you’re a fan or not, if you love film then Oppenheimer is a must see. It’s a jaw dropping film that will leave you speechless.