Christopher Nolan has followed up his sci-fi time travel movie Tenet with a grounded biopic of the man who led the creation of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. A three-hour movie, Oppenheimer barely has an ounce of fat in its runtime and speeds through nearly four decades of history to keep it enthralling.
Oppenheimer is a biopic through and through, telling the story of Oppenheimer from his University days up until a few years before his death. We see his teaching years, his political views, his personal relationships, and of course, his role in the Manhattan Project. Even though Nolan’s known for spectacle, most of Oppenheimer consists of scenes with scientists or politicians talking. Pacing could have been an issue, but it’s not. Once the film starts with a quote about Prometheus being tortured for all eternity, it doesn’t slow down until around halfway through, and even then, it promptly picks back up.
The movie is framed through a hearing for Oppenheimer’s security clearance. Nolan switches between scenes of black and white and color, representing objective and subjective lines of storytelling. Oppenheimer walks two threads – the first is a statement on Oppenheimer’s thoughts regarding the use of nuclear weapons, while the second is a storyline molded by the history of the Red Scare, political subterfuge, and personal vendettas.
Fantastic Performances by the Cast
There are a few actors in the star-studded lineup that stand out. Cillian Murphy kills it as the multi-faceted Oppenheimer. While his scenes with his thousand-yard stares are what the performance will be remembered for, Murphy also manages to play him as a likable teacher, which enhances the emotional throughline in the latter half of the film. Robert Downey Jr. is terrific as Lewis Strauss, the Atomic Energy Commission Chairman who is seeking confirmation from the United States Senate for Secretary of Commerce.
The best performance, however, comes from Emily Blunt as Kitty Oppenheimer. She doesn’t have as much screen time as Murphy or Downey Jr., but there is a scene or two at the end of the movie where she is an absolute powerhouse, finally giving us someone to cheer for as she fights against the prosecutor in charge of proving that Oppenheimer is not to be trusted with his clearance, Roger Robb (Jason Clarke). Everybody in the cast is sensational, with Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Conti, Benny Safdie, Alden Ehrenreich, David Krumholtz, Gary Oldman, and Matthew Modine delivering memorable performances.
This is part of the reason you don’t feel the runtime creeping up on you. Every scene, and just about every performance, leaves you on the edge of your seat. In fact, the story is so engaging that the part of the film that should have been the standout, the Trinity test of the atomic bomb, is one of the least interesting parts of the movie. This isn’t to say that the moment wasn’t done justice. The explosion was amazing, fire dancing within fire in the dark of the early morning. The performances carry you from scene to scene, so ultimately, the most interesting part of the test is their reactions.
Oppenheimer: Lingering Thoughts
While it’s mostly doom and gloom, there is some humor that manages to cut through the cloud of existential dread. Nolan didn’t hold back with the visuals either, with the black-and-white scenes looking sharp. There are also some terrific pieces of imagery that inform what is going on in Oppenheimer’s mind, whether it’s an auditorium filled with nuclear winter or an elaborate light show representing quantum mechanics. The cinematography, performances, script, and wonderful score by Ludwig Göransson all come together to provide what is one of the most atmospheric films ever made, the air of tension never dissipating, even after the credits have rolled.
We won’t spoil the film’s ending here, but it is one of the most powerful endings I have ever seen – one that has kept me uncharacteristically quiet for the last few days. Earlier in the film, after the Trinity test, the members of the Manhattan Project are informed that Truman launched the bomb on Hiroshima. The results are mixed, but most share the same horrified expression. At that moment, they are representative of the general public. Nolan’s film has expressed that the fear of nuclear weapons was not only justified but that it is still justified, choosing to end the film on a note filled with terror.
With powerful performances, stellar spectacle, and terrific storytelling, Oppenheimer is, without a doubt, a must-watch and the best movie of the year so far.
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