Here is what you need to know. Oppenheimer is one of the best films of the decade. This is a film you must see, regardless of whether or not you watch a lot of movies. See it on the biggest IMAX screen you can. It is as much an engrossing document of vital history as it is an unparalleled sensory experience. This film is of course about the invention of nuclear weaponry, and of course, you'll get up close and personal to a real detonation. But that's nowhere near the thrill behind Oppenheimer. In fact, there isn't supposed to be one. Oppenheimer is a blistering indictment of the bomb's creation and a passionate anti-war plea. What's more, is that this is a masterful character study about the man behind the bomb, and the agonizing regret he felt about creating it in the first place.
J. Robert Oppenheimer was a curious physicist who in one lifetime received the ultimate praise and the ultimate ire from the nation he belonged to. Summoned by the U. S. military, he served as the brains behind the Manhattan Project and the creation of the first, second and only atomic bombs ever used in battle. For that moment, Oppenheimer brought about the brutal end of a world war, but that was exactly the problem. A brutal end to a brutal war, and forever, the world had changed. Oppenheimer gave birth to the first weapon of mass destruction, and every nation on earth wanted one of their own. The arms race was on. The end of the world, suddenly, a possibility. If that weren't enough already, his greatest scientific ally betrays him in a stunning act of jealousy and personal enrichment, leading to a demoralizing persecution at the hands of the U. S. Government at the height of the red scare.
Oppenheimer becomes the physical manifestation of guilt and yes, death. Wracked with unending pain, we see his body begin to consume itself. His eyes stare straight into the abyss. His frame, gaunt and emaciated. Always seemingly on the verge of tears. Cillian Murphy delivers an unforgettable performance that I struggle to think won't land him an Oscar next year. For three hours, Murphy is spellbinding, and that is incredible given the fact that for the most part, he is simply talking with other people. Oppenheimer, by that affect, is not a laborious chore to sit through, but instead, a living and breathing historical account. Robert Downey Jr., as the backstabbing Lewis Strauss is instantly the clear front runner for Best Supporting Actor in a performance that mirrors F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus.
Oppenheimer is many great movies in one, and for Christopher Nolan, that comes with so much ease. In every aspect, he approaches the material with the gravity it deserves and not once does it meander and and lose focus of the core information behind the story. That unto itself is a tremendous undertaking, and without a doubt, Nolan passes that test.
J. Robert Oppenheimer was a curious physicist who in one lifetime received the ultimate praise and the ultimate ire from the nation he belonged to. Summoned by the U. S. military, he served as the brains behind the Manhattan Project and the creation of the first, second and only atomic bombs ever used in battle. For that moment, Oppenheimer brought about the brutal end of a world war, but that was exactly the problem. A brutal end to a brutal war, and forever, the world had changed. Oppenheimer gave birth to the first weapon of mass destruction, and every nation on earth wanted one of their own. The arms race was on. The end of the world, suddenly, a possibility. If that weren't enough already, his greatest scientific ally betrays him in a stunning act of jealousy and personal enrichment, leading to a demoralizing persecution at the hands of the U. S. Government at the height of the red scare.
Oppenheimer becomes the physical manifestation of guilt and yes, death. Wracked with unending pain, we see his body begin to consume itself. His eyes stare straight into the abyss. His frame, gaunt and emaciated. Always seemingly on the verge of tears. Cillian Murphy delivers an unforgettable performance that I struggle to think won't land him an Oscar next year. For three hours, Murphy is spellbinding, and that is incredible given the fact that for the most part, he is simply talking with other people. Oppenheimer, by that affect, is not a laborious chore to sit through, but instead, a living and breathing historical account. Robert Downey Jr., as the backstabbing Lewis Strauss is instantly the clear front runner for Best Supporting Actor in a performance that mirrors F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus.
Oppenheimer is many great movies in one, and for Christopher Nolan, that comes with so much ease. In every aspect, he approaches the material with the gravity it deserves and not once does it meander and and lose focus of the core information behind the story. That unto itself is a tremendous undertaking, and without a doubt, Nolan passes that test.