*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*
There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the release of Oppenheimer, not only because it’s a new film by one of the best visionary filmmakers working today, but also because it’s released on the same day as Barbie, a comedy starring Margot Robbie as the perfect doll, with social media describing the day as “Barbenheimer”. This led to cinemas being packed with audiences watching Robbie going on adventure to the real world as Barbie and others watching an epic three hour long drama about one of the most famous scientists in history. There were even some, like me, who watched both films on the same day. While both Barbie and Oppenheimer are, obviously, two completely different films, they’re both entirely watching at the cinema as they provided audiences with hours of escapism. This is especially true of Oppenheimer because of its sound design and high definition image which immerses you in the film and keeps you invested throughout the lengthy three hour runtime. Technically, Oppenheimer features impressive work from cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, who uses close ups of Oppenheimer as he reacts to the creation and test of the Atomic Bomb, editor Jennifer Lame and composer Ludwig Göransson. I’m sure they won’t go unrecognised when the Oscar nominations are announced next year.
Oppenheimer represents Nolan at his best and that’s when he’s making thought provoking films. It’s similar to his Oscar winning drama, Dunkirk, which told the story of the World War II soldiers trapped on the beach in France from three different perspectives, that of the soldiers, a fighter pilot keeping enemy planes away and a sail man using his boat to rescue the soldiers. It made for a gripping watch as does Oppenheimer which is different to other biopics that tell the story of its subject in a formulaic way, with the film struggling to leave much of an impression. That’s certainly not the case with Oppenheimer, which provides audiences with an insight into Oppenheimer’s mind, with the coloured scenes showing the development of the Atomic Bomb from his perspective. The film frequently cuts to black and white scenes which focus on Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) who was responsible for Oppenheimer’s security clearance being revoked, which damaged his public image. While the majority of the film focuses on Oppenheimer, the scenes that focus on Strauss are just as compelling to watch, with Downey Jr. impressing with his most serious performance yet. By losing the charm he brought to his most famous role as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Downey Jr. provides audiences with the closest thing the film has to an antagonist. It makes for an interesting alternative perspective as Nolan knows that, while Oppenheimer should be remembered for his scientific work, he’s hardly a celebratory figure as, following the Trinity Test, the President of the United States, Harry S. Truman (Gary Oldman) decides to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan's surrender and thrusting Oppenheimer into the public eye as the "father of the atomic bomb". Although Oppenheimer has been widely praised, one of the biggest criticisms it has received is Nolan’s decision to not show the devastation in Japan, following the bombing by Truman. In my opinion, I think that this was the right decision as the film is being told from Oppenheimer’s perspective so it would have felt out of place to have cut to a scene in Japan showing the aftermath. There is a stirring sequence where Oppenheimer is being celebrated for his work but imagines members of the cheering audience as victims of the bombing. This sequence is scarier than most of the horror films that have been released recently, due to it being based on real events that affected thousands of people.
What’s most interesting about Oppenheimer is that people will have their own knowledge and opinion of the physicist, however, after watching Nolan’s film, may have their thoughts on him changed. Prior to watching the film, all I knew about Oppenheimer was that he was a theoretical physicist who was responsible for the Atomic Bomb. This is why I found the film to be a fascinating watch throughout as I learnt a lot more about Oppenheimer as a human being, rather than a historical figure. Most of this is down to Murphy who, after providing strong supporting roles in Nolan’s previous films, Dunkirk, Inception and in The Dark Knight trilogy, is finally given a chance to lead and he succeeds and delivers one of his most impressive performances yet. The film is mainly compromised of close ups of Murphy’s face as Oppenheimer reacts to the changing world around him and the outcome of his creation. It may be too early to say, however, I’ll be surprised if Murphy is overlooked by the Academy next year. The supporting cast are all on top form, with Downey Jr. standing out as Strauss. As Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty, Emily Blunt is underused, however, she still leaves a lasting impression with her performance. Florence Pugh has a small but unforgettable role as Oppenheimer’s love interest, Jean Tatlock. There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the sex scene featuring Murphy and Pugh, however, Nolan has said that he included it to show a more vulnerable side to Oppenheimer and a part of his life viewers are unaware of. A lot of people have been critical of the lack of screen time for Blunt and Pugh, however, it’s being shown from Oppenheimer’s point of view. Because he only ever saw Kitty and Jean romantically, that’s how they appeared in the film.
With Oppenheimer, visionary filmmaker Christopher Nolan continues to blow audiences’ minds with a thought provoking drama that sees Cillian Murphy delivering one of his most impressive performances yet.
8/10
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