Oppenheimer

Universal Pictures

Reviewed for FilmFactual by Abe Friedtanzer

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writer: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey, Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett and Kenneth Branagh

Screened at: AMC Universal CityWalk, LA, 7/17/23

Opens: July 21^st, 2023

For months, countdown clocks have adorned promotional materials for Oppenheimer, boldly displaying the months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the arrival of Christopher Nolan’s latest movie. The director, who has previously made large-scale films about places like Dunkirk or concepts like inception or interstellar travel, has selected his title very deliberately. While this is a story about the development of the atomic bomb, it is much more about the man responsible for its creation. Its visual format has been widely touted, but this biopic is a far more intimate and personal drama than audiences may expect. 

Time is a funny thing in this film, which harks back to Nolan’s extensive use of black-and-white in early films like Following and Memento, in this case done to distinguish between timelines of the narrative. J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is simultaneously introduced at various stages of his life, as a bumbling young university student, an academic beginning to articulate his vision and gain disciples, and fighting to save his career and reputation long after achieving the height of his fame. He isn’t even present in one facet of the story, which focuses on the Senate confirmation hearing for Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), who is plagued by questions of his association with the then-disgraced Oppenheimer.

There is a gravity to Oppenheimer’s very existence that carries a weight throughout the film. His initial interest in quantum mechanics makes him an outlier since the field hasn’t yet caught on in America, and he seems to comprehend the implications of creating a nuclear weapon in a way that his entire team doesn’t quite process as they work intensively on the Manhattan Project in a race to develop the technology ahead of Nazi Germany. That intensity of impact is frequently felt through the trembling of Oppenheimer’s surroundings, a visual interpretation of the unease that pulsates within him as he grapples with what might be done with his work in the future.

This is a story filled with grandeur, which comes as no surprise for a Nolan project. Though there isn’t any science fiction involved – save for the scientific breakthroughs that can only be thought of as far-fetched and imaginary at the time of their discoveries – this film still has the energy of an epic about life and death. It isn’t concerned with a straightforward timeline, offering little in the way of information about Oppenheimer’s later life and eventual death, focusing instead on the legacy of his mind and of his most globally significant accomplishment. That direction is both frustrating and effective, since this film paints a far-ranging and detailed picture of its subject while still leaving many questions about him unanswered.

Nolan reteams with his frequent collaborator, director of photography Hoyte Van Hoytema, to create a stirring visual experience that audiences will mostly see in very large formats. It’s an effective partnership that provides scenes reminiscent of their previous efforts, Tenet, Dunkirk, and Inception, conveying the scope of Oppenheimer’s work even in moments where tests that involve combustion and fiery explosions are not being conducted. Tenet composer Ludwig Göransson also returns to energize dramatic exchanges, building the volume and meter of his score to instill awe into conversations that might otherwise have felt far less momentous.

While Oppenheimer is a visual feat that also manages to remain interesting and engaging for the entirety of its lengthy three-hour runtime, its ultimate success comes down to its star performer. In his sixth film with Nolan, Murphy is elevated from a critical supporting player in films like Inception to a film-defining turn that finds him entirely immersed in his character. It feels as if he has become Oppenheimer, absorbing the many facets of his personality and presenting them in a gripping and compelling way. He’s surrounded by a formidable ensemble that includes a startling number of recognizable faces in very minor roles, with Florence Pugh, Alden Ehrenreich, and Downey just a few of the standouts. It’s clear that many people want to work with Nolan, and for good reason. Like its protagonist, this film leaves a lasting impression, one that doesn’t reach a definitive conclusion about the impact Oppenheimer has had on our world, but certain that he made quite an unforgettable impact.

180 minutes

Story – B+

Acting – A-

Technical – A-

Overall – B+