Film: Oppenheimer

 

GENRE: Drama Biopic
RATING: R for nudity and language
RUNTIME: 3 hours and 00 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre (preferably IMAX)
STARRING: Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later, Sunshine, Inception)
Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Chaplin); Matt Damon (Air, The Martian)
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan (Dark Knight trilogy, Tenet, Inception)
WRITER: Nolan (Memento, The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk)
PLOT: The story of the American scientist and his involvement in the development of the atomic bomb and its aftermath.    

FULL DISCLOSURE: I’ve been looking forward to this movie for a while.

STORY STUFF: What a captivating story. I’ll admit that I didn’t know much about the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer. I had watched the TV series Manhattan about the project but didn’t remember much about the historical facts. I loved the themes of putting theory into action and should we have this much power. I find the story lingers on long after the credits roll. I found the three hours flying by; and if you think the Trinity test is the conclusion of the story, you are in for a lot more. The dialogue is crisp and the pacing is a mixture of quiet contemplation and ticking intensity. Apparently, the book this film is based on is incredibly dense, but Nolan has done an impeccable job trimming it down into this amazing film.

ACTING STUFF: There should be a bunch of Oscar nominations coming out of this film. Murphy is mesmerizing as Oppenheimer – he perfectly captures the deep thinking and impressive ego; he should be getting a best actor nod. Downey Jr should get a supporting actor nomination for his work on this film – he is such a great actor. Matt Damon, Florence Pugh and Jason Clarke command the screen. Emily Blunt starts off slow but ends strong. David Krumholtz is a little chunky but give a great performance. And even Josh Hartnett brings in stellar work. There are number of great one-scene wonders that I won’t spoil for you. Nolan has brought together an amazing ensemble.

ARTISTIC STUFF: The first thing I noticed was the amazing editing of Jennifer Lame (Tenet, Black Panther 2) with these beautiful shots of images Oppenheimer has in his head. The cinematography is incredible with the extra touch of black and white film representing Strauss’ narrative as opposed to the colourful Oppenheimer one. The music and sound finally work in a way that makes sense and doesn’t overpower the dialogue unlike the soundscape of Tenet. The practical effects (including the Trinity explosion) are vivid and puts recent Marvel CGI to shame. There is a scene in a gymnasium that incorporates all these elements and it is simply jaw dropping and breath-taking. Expect a number of Oscar nominations for these parts as well. It’s a masterpiece.

VERDICT: Five stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like a biopic with big questions and relevant fears
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Barbie