Oppenheimer Movie Review

Oppenheimer (2023) Movie Review Blog Post

Christopher Nolan has become one of Hollywood’s most prolific filmmakers. There aren’t too many filmmakers left who still sell off their name, but Christopher Nolan is one of these filmmakers. Every time he releases a new film, it becomes a moment. When Inception arrived back in 2010, no one expected it to be the success it was, grossing over $850 million at the global box office. The film was also certified fresh at 87% and currently holds the number 14 spot on IMDB’s top 250 films of all time. Outside of The Dark Knight trilogy, this film is what solidified him as the powerhouse we know today. His films since, Interstellar, Dunkirk, Tenet and of course Oppenheimer, have each become a moment, seeing mass audiences flock to the theatre to see Nolan’s latest masterpiece.

The monumental success of Oppenheimer was unforeseen, especially competing with Barbie head-to-head at the box office. No one knew this film would be as successful as it was, but it just goes to show the pull and power of Christopher Nolan as a filmmaker. As I am writing this blog post, Oppenheimer is about to cross $950 million at the worldwide box office, which for a 3-hour biopic is unheard of. The film explores the creation of the atomic bomb at the Los Alamos laboratory. The film builds up the first detonation of the bomb and then shows the fallout after the bomb is dropped on Hiroshima. It’s a tense and realistic look at the politics and background of war, and the fallout that comes from something so horrific. It’s a fascinating exploration into Robert Oppenheimer and those involved with the creation of the bomb.

Christopher Nolan clearly has a love and admiration for the work of Oppenheimer. He never paints him as a hero, but as a troubled individual that had the knowledge of the world in his head. It’s a fascinating character piece and I love the way Nolan explores these themes. For a 3-hour film, it just flies by, and this is in large part due to Nolan’s ability to keep the film moving and tonally, keeping the film tense. He uses swift and creative editing to ensure the film cuts in the right moments and doesn’t stay with one character or one location for too long. I like the time jumps as well, by telling the story in a non-linear fashion, the film is also given this frenetic energy that has become a staple of Nolan’s films.

Whilst on the surface, Oppenheimer appears to be a deep character study of Robert Oppenheimer, his life, his contributions to the war and the legal battle that ensued, and in many ways, it is, but it’s also the story of the men and women who contributed to this moment in history. This is all brought to life by Christopher Nolan’s expertly assembled cast. Cillian Murphy’s turn as Robert Oppenheimer is one for the ages. He is fantastic and eerily like Oppenheimer, not in appearance, but in his demeanor and presence. Robert Downey Jr. plays Lewis Strauss in what I can only describe as a tour de force from the veteran actor. I think this may just be Downey Jr’s best performance to date, and that is saying something, as he’s been terrific before in many films, but here he just commands the screen and takes control, remaining captivating in every single frame. All the supporting players here are fantastic as well. We have Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Jason Clark, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh, Florence Pugh, Alden Ehrenreich, Josh Peck, Jack Quaid, Tony Goldwyn, James D’Arcy, David Krumholtz, Alex Wolff, Dylan Arnold, Matthew Modine, David Dastmalchian, Dane DeHaan, Benny Safdie and Casey Affleck. It’s incredible the clout and attraction Christopher Nolan has in Hollywood, to pull off something like this, with a cast as impressive as Oppenheimer’s.

Christopher Nolan usually grounds his stories in realism, with an element of fantasy in the form of science fiction. The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar and Tenet are all great examples of how this formula works. However, he varies this here by telling the real-life story of Robert J. Oppenheimer, and the design and construction of the atom bomb. A story that I was unfamiliar with, but after watching the film and conducting my own research, I feel educated on and now familiar with. Nolan has based his information and research off the critically acclaimed book ‘American Prometheus’ written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin over a period of 25 years. As the film is an introspective look at Oppenheimer’s life, over a very specific moment, the lead up to the moment and ultimately the fallout of this moment. By isolating the story to this specific part of history, Nolan is inviting the audience to look further into Oppenheimer and do your own research. The sides of the story are amplified for dramatic effect, but the truth is never lost. Whilst Nolan has been more technically proficient in other films, his work here is unmatched, from a dramatic and storytelling standpoint. He truly is a modern master of his craft and none of this is lost in the release of this film from cinema to home media. It is still impressive even on a small screen.

‘Oppenheimer’ is an impressive and memorable achievement in filmmaking. Christopher Nolan remains one of the best directors working in Hollywood. His attention to detail and perfect construction of a scene is unmatched. The cast is terrific, I would be very surprised if Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. don’t walk away with Oscars this year. This is a must-watch for movie fans and a must own for film collectors. It’s a moment in cinema history and one that begs you to re-watch it.

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Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here