Oppenheimer Movie Review

When it comes to the biggest names in filmmaking, Christopher Nolan has always commanded a great deal of respect. His latest project, Oppenheimer, is quite the anomaly, adopting a 15 rating and being distributed outside of WB Pictures for the first time in over a decade. Success is all but assured as we’re treated to another intelligent blockbuster.

The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the father of the atomic bomb, is presented over three hours of wordy discussions and ethical debates. Deep into the Second World War, it’s a race between America and Germany to see who can craft a new, devastating weapon. The skilled scientist, with his wife Kitty (Emily Blunt) and fellow colleagues in nuclear physics, embark on a major project. Their ultimate invention will not only end the war, but change the world forever. What we have here is a trifecta of scientific studies, political machinations and personal portraits. The first act shows Oppenheimer’s rise to prominence, his studies and travels with some of the brightest minds in Europe, including Albert Einstein. The second shows the development of the Manhattan Project in the secret town of Los Alamos and the final act shows the aftermath and onset of the Cold War with many court hearings to boot. While the story jumps between past, present and future (indicated by black and white filters), we never leave Robert’s perspective as he grapples with both personal and political challenges. Almost every element of the plot is deep and fascinating with a serious tone that never waivers. While Oppenheimer and his team collide atoms and electrons, the narrative shows the collision between personal morals and American politics. The latter is especially ruthless in the later half as the FBI attempts to root out all vestiges of communism. The film’s only weak point is the relationships between the main characters. Oppenheimer had a somewhat turbulent family life, but the interactions between him, his wife and lover Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) feel underused when compared to the towering themes of science and politics.

The cast of Oppenheimer is enormous with many smaller roles moving in and out of the picture; listing them all here would take too long but everyone involved gives a stellar performance. Cillian Murphy is phenomenal in the title role; in many ways it feels like he has been building up to this leading position for years. Behind his brilliant mind lies a great deal of stress and anxiety. As the A-bomb gets closer to completion, the ethical conundrums become more dicey. The feeling of guilt is amplified as World War Two comes to an end, but the film also emphasises how Oppenheimer and his team were very distant from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The disconnect from human suffering is very intentional. Their characters could have been used more, but Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh are both very resolute in their convictions. Matt Damon plays General Leslie Groves, the overseer of the Manhattan Project with a strict set of military deadlines while Robert Downey Jr. has a detailed turn as Lewis Strauss. He holds great animosity towards Oppenheimer and takes the lead in the third act. Other cast members include Matthew Modine, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh and Jason Clarke who all make the most of their limited screen time. Oppenheimer has a metric ton of dialogue and great care has been taken to divide it among the characters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Nolan film without excellent special effects and the wizardry on display will once again leave you awe-struck. The use of real explosions to recreate the first nuclear weapon, the beautiful yet frightening shots of chemical reactions and the large sets all give off an immense scale. The film’s grand set piece comes at the end of the second act; the sheer tension and build-up to the bomb flash and explosion is razor-sharp, completely enveloping the audience in a momentous historical event. On occasion, the after-effects of the nuclear bombs creep into Robert’s psyche, resulting in some sinister, unstable imagery that reflects his personal state. Every step of the way, Ludwig Göransson’s score delivers some thunderous power that will rock every movie theatre. You’ll be doing yourself a great disservice by skipping the cinematic version.

Like so many of Nolan’s previous films, Oppenheimer is simply astounding on the big screen. The production values, themes and central performances are all superb, a masterful display of filmmaking prowess. Limitations on the personal side keep it from reaching the top, but this is still one of the best films of the year. It earns my highest recommendation.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)