Oppenheimer - Review

Rating: 10/10

OPPENHEIMER is a remarkable biopic about the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his work on the Manhattan Project to create the atomic bomb. This is an unforgettably harrowing film and Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus.   

The story is captivating from start to finish. From pivotal moments of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s early life to the culmination of his work on the Manhattan Project, the story takes the viewer inside Oppenheimer’s mind with an intense singular focus that is entrancing for the entirety of the film. The constant sense of tension, aided by the incredible score, sound design and editing, makes every scene feel like a cataclysm waiting to happen. The story perfectly captures the awe and magnitude of this historic achievement in creating the atomic bomb and for the horrifying consequences of this creation. Nolan creates a masterful and tragic character study of a man whose greatest accomplishment is also his greatest source of torment.

The all-star ensemble cast give incredible performances. Even the big-name actors/actresses who have minimal screen time excel in their minor roles. Both Cillian Murphy (J. Robert Oppenheimer) and Robert Downey Jr. (Lewis Strauss) give career-best performances as the central protagonist and antagonist. Emily Blunt (Kitty Oppenheimer) and Matt Damon (Leslie Groves) are stellar supporting characters. Jason Clarke (Roger Robb) and Casey Affleck (Boris Pash) are terrifying in their roles. There are too many excellent performances to name them all but a few more I’d like to mention are Benny Safdie (Edward Teller), Florence Pugh (Jean Tatlock), and David Krumholtz (Isidor Rabi).

The spine-chilling score by Ludwig Goransson and the impeccable sound design by Richard King sears into the viewer’s brain and makes this story so absorbing. The top-notch editing by Jennifer Lame makes every scene feel tense and gives the film a frenetic and nerve-wracking atmosphere of unrelenting dread. The marvelous cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema and supplementary visual effects make for a visually jaw-dropping film.

Surprisingly, the pacing is very efficient for a film with a 3-hour runtime and that is mainly due to the fantastic script, directing and editing. This film is essentially 3 hours of politicians and scientists talking in rooms without a single action sequence throughout, and yet it’s so captivating that you feel like you’re constantly on the edge of your seat and you don’t even notice the lengthy runtime. The momentum relentlessly builds up with every scene and there truly isn’t a dull moment to be found.   

 

OPPENHEIMER is an astonishing character study on the grandest scale and Christopher Nolan brilliantly blends elements of political procedural, thriller, and horror into this masterful and haunting biopic.

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Director: Christopher Nolan

Writer: Christopher Nolan

Runtime: 3h 1m

Release Date: July 2023

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