Oppenheimer
OPPENHEIMER (15)
D: Christopher Nolan
Universal / Syncopy / Atlas (Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas & Charles Roven)
US/UK 🇺🇸🇬🇧 2023
180 mins
Biopic/Drama
W: Christopher Nolan [based on the book “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird & Martin J. Sherwin]
DP: Hoyte Van Hoytema
Ed: Jennifer Lame
Mus: Ludwig Göransson
PD: Ruth De Jong
Cos: Ellen Mirojnick
Cillian Murphy (J. Robert Oppenheimer), Emily Blunt (Kitty Oppenheimer), Matt Damon (Gen. Leslie Groves), Robert Downey, Jr. (Lewis Strauss), Florence Pugh (Jean Tatlock), Josh Hartnett (Ernest Lawrence), Casey Affleck (Boris Pash), Tom Conti (Albert Einstein)
Christopher Nolan’s biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb” is brought to the big screen in the most Christopher Nolan way possible, with an impressive scope of breathtaking visuals, a masterclass in sound design and a narrative of three different timelines playing out in tandem, from Oppenheimer’s formative years in academia to his involvement & management of The Manhattan Project, the atomic testing programme which ultimately led to the end of World War II.
Running alongside this narrative are the aftermath of the creation of nuclear weaponry, where Oppenheimer’s communist sympathies come under scrutiny, especially his relationship with Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) several years prior.
The third part of the narrative, filmed in black & white, surrounds the senate hearing for politician Lewis Strauss, once a trusted acquaintance of Oppenheimer, but one of their meetings led to distrust on the former’s part, leading him to engineer the latter’s downfall.
At three hours, the film does feel a little bloated, especially in the first hour, but once it becomes clear how the plot threads are being mapped out, it becomes increasingly engaging, leading to a dialogue heavy final hour that’s reminiscent of political thrillers of the 1960’s.
This is very much Christopher Nolan’s movie, and those familiar with his work will be well-versed with the way he plays with time, and from a technical perspective, he is amongst the best filmmakers of the early 21st century, with almost every effect being done in-camera, with little to no CGI.  Where Nolan does suffer is with his writing of female characters, which is far too reliant on the actors themselves to carry the part, and while Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh do their best, the latter does feel quite wasted in a far too brief role.  Nevertheless, the ensemble cast on show here boasts a contingent most filmmakers would be envious of, with Cillian Murphy carrying the lead with a solid performance, and both Matt Damon and Robert Downey, Jr. standouts of the supporting cast, especially the latter who gives one the most invested performances of his career.
Though some audiences may consider it to be a victim of its own length and Nolan’s creative, self-indulgent style, it’s a film which must be watched on the grandest scale possible, preferably in IMAX for the most immersive experience, and though it’s non-linear narrative does make it a little heavier than it needs to be, it really is one of the cinematic marvels of 2023, and a historical biopic I would most certainly recommend.
8/10
