Oppenheimer [Film review]
After much anticipation, Christoper Nolan’s latest film ‘Oppenheimer’ has finally been released in theaters.
After watching the three-hour epic, I have to say, it might be Christopher Nolan’s best film.
It is without a doubt his most important.
The film is centered around J. Robert Oppenheimer, the leader of the Manhattan Project and one of the men responsible for the invention of the nuclear bomb.
One thing that I appreciate about the film is that it’s self-aware. Christopher Nolan understands the gravity of the story he’s telling and went into it know that this film couldn’t, and wouldn’t be under the 3-hours in length. with that in mind, the dialog is very fast-paced. the lines are smart, witty, and packed with information. The writing is incredible. As someone who has been interested in quantum physics for over a decade, I can tell that Nolan isn’t new to the subject. A bit of research is always necessary when making a film, but Nolan’s knowledge of science and quantum physics shines through here. The ensemble cast of actors do a fantastic job delivering the great dialog written for them, even if just a small amount of lines.
The movie doesn’t stay on one scene for too long and the pacing overall is very well done.
Nolan, as is typical for his films, jumps back and forth between moments in time to provide context and perspective for why certain things took place and why specific decisions were made.
His use of black and white and color is meant to be a visual representation displaying the difference between the objective (black and white) perspective of others, namely Lewis Strauss, and Oppenheimer’s own (colorful) version of what happened, and why.
The ensemble cast all shines brightly, even if their screen time is negligible. Everyone brought their A-game, seeming to have an understanding of the opportunity in front of them and the weight of the task.
Cillian murphy is great as oppenheimer. his ability to display intellect, guilt, doubt, fear, anxiety, shame, and a bevy of other emotions is something that should be taught in schools. it aids in the immersion and getting a feel for what it might’ve been like inside oppenheimer’s mind.
Florence Pugh, as Jean Tatlock, Oppenheimer’s lover, is memorable. And that’s beyond the sex scenes. She embodies Jean’s intellect, wit, stubbornness, and angst. And yeah, she was pretty hot too. Apparently the nudity was CGI, but Nolan typically prefers practical effects, so I’m not sure how accurate that is.
Robert Downey Junior as Lewis Strauss is a welcomed departure from the years as Tony Stark. It’s a reminder that RDJ is a real thespian, and not just the star of our favorite (or not so favorite) comic book movies.
And that’s where this whole thing comes together on a very meta level.
Oppenheimer is regretful in the pivotal role he played in leading to the potential destruction of the world and all of humanity. So much so that he internalized the quote from the Bhagavad Gita; “I am become death, destroyer of worlds”
And in that same token, Christopher Nolan played a similarly pivotal role in making Hollywood and the entire world take the superhero/comic book movie genre seriously. Many say comic book movies are what’s destroyed Hollywood and Pop Culture at-large. Leading to the decline in artistic quality and what it truly means to create cinema.
Unlike Oppenheimer, Nolan has the opportunity to alter the trajectory of his decisions, if not reverse it altogether.
Oppenheimer the film is a cinematic masterpiece. It’s a landmark achievement in filmmaking that will likely set the tone for films of all kinds for years to come. At least I’d to believe that’s what Nolan hopes.
The gripes I have with the film would be that for the average person that’s unfamiliar with quantum physics, the jargon can possibly ruin the immersion and create distance between the characters and the viewer. As a nerd for quantum physics, I loved it.
I believe that’s a deliberate part of Nolan’s films. A sense of exclusivity, whether that be intellect, class, style, or beauty. His films are almost aspirational in that way.
Also, without having educated myself on the use of color vs. black and white, I would’ve been confused as to what was being conveyed.
I could complain about the audio, but everyone will or already has, and at this point I believe that’s done deliberately as well. I personally didn’t have too much of an issue with that.
As of right now, Oppenheimer is probably my 4th favorite Nolan film after Tenet, Inception, and Interstellar.
A great film I’ll watch multiple times, that will likely clean up during award season.
The most important lesson from the film though, stay away from communists. Even the sexy commies like Florence Pugh.
