Written & Edited By: Lee Fenton
Oppenheimer begins with a quote from Greek mythology:
“Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. For this, he was chained to a rock and tortured for eternity.”
It would be an understatement to say that this opening helps to establish the thematic elements of the movie, in truth – this quote sums up the man as much as it does the film. Christopher Nolan directed Oppenheimer, and he ensured that it wouldn’t be your run of the mill biopic. Whereas most biopics choose to be either a celebration of the subject’s life or a nuanced take on their flaws, Nolan’s film instead opts for something a little more ethereal. I would argue that Cillian Murphy’s, J Robert Oppenheimer isn’t the main focal point of the film – but that his obsession is.
Ostensibly, his obsession was to unlock the secrets of the known universe.
The film doesn’t begin with a tale of his childhood, or some defining character moment, no, instead it begins with a hearing that is to decide Oppenheimer’s fate within the intelligentsia. He has the air of a man who has allowed his life to be dictated by momentum rather than choices.
Throughout the film we get these motifs of Cillian Murphy staring into the distance imagining the possibilities, these scenes are illustrated with visuals of the cosmos, planetary bodies colliding and imploding, a reflection of the power yet to be unleashed by this figure and his team of physicists. Murphy’s portrayal of Oppenheimer embodies a haunted man, wide-eyed, malnourished, and running entirely on adrenaline and fanaticism. If it wasn’t for this one zealot of change, the world as we know it – would not exist.
What drove this man to do the things he did? Was it a need to defend free thinking and ingenuity? Was it the desire to stem the tide of evil, the evil that persists when good men do nothing?
Or was it something else? Perhaps a need to prove his intellectual prowess above all others, and to leave a lasting mark on this planet.
The movie does not offer any concrete answers, instead it allows the viewer to interpret the visuals as they see fit. Which is really genius, when you think about it. It would be near impossible to commit to a propaganda piece about Oppenheimer – when the man himself was a very polarizing aspect of WW2. His own nation was constantly investigating him, since he kept close contacts and allies within the Soviet party. This is the main conflict of the film, and Christopher Nolan finesse’s this part of the filmmaking expertly – letting you see that Oppenheimer was a family man, but also a distant father and husband. He keeps his secrets but is upfront about his love for Democracy – and by extension – the United States.
He harbours a clear distrust of institutions that assume power in secret, and prefers to associate with activists and scientists, even though his work requires him to ‘bump elbows’ with policy makers, generals, and politicians.
In short, the man was quite complex.
In contrast; Oppenheimer’s complete dedication to the advancement of science was very clear. To touch again on the main focus of the movie, it is Oppenheimer’s unwavering commitment to his furtherance of the atomic bomb.
There, I mentioned the elephant in the room.
Just in case you are unaware of the most pivotal moment in modern history, J Robert Oppenheimer is the father of the atomic bomb. He led a team in Death Valley, Nevada that managed to crack nuclear fission before the Axis Forces in World War 2. This is the relevance of the film, it could be argued this man is the reason why the Allied Forces won against the Nazi’s and Fascists in the largest conflict ever recorded.
This film employs a host of well known actors, including but not limited to: Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Jack Quaid, Casey Affleck, Robert Downey Jr., and Josh Hartnett.
Going in, that was a bit of a worry for me – as I thought that the style and weight of this movie would clash with the use of famous Hollywood stars. As we all are aware, it can hurt the suspension of disbelief if household names are used and they are not appropriately cast or directed. It’s fine when a star manages to ‘disappear into their role’ but if that isn’t achieved, it can be a real detriment to the film.
Thankfully, Oppenheimer does not suffer from weak filmmaking, so, the casting works out rather splendidly. Cillian Murphy really becomes his character; there wasn’t even a brief moment that I thought about Peaky Blinders. Okay… maybe briefly.
The rest of the cast does a more than admirable job in contributing to this robust retelling of history. There were a few cast members & dayplayers that I needed a moment or two to adjust, and then I stopped seeing them as themselves, and they blended right into the mix.
I feel bad saying it, since he just won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor; but Robert Downey Jr.(as Lewis Strauss) was the one that I had to really suspend my disbelief. And I don’t think this is due to his performance, as much as it his notoriety from the Marvel superhero movie franchise.
Maybe that’s why they gave him a Golden Globe? It’s pretty difficult to come off a series like that, and go directly into an auteur masterpiece like Christopher Nolan’s most recent film.
And that’s what Oppenheimer is.
It’s a masterpiece.
I consider it one of Nolan’s greatest ever — up there with ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘The Prestige’, and ‘Memento’. Those three are truly immaculate films. But Nolan has other standout movies: Interstellar, Tenet, Batman Begins, and Insomnia, to name a few. So, make sure to check out a few more features by the director. If you haven’t seen them already.
Oppenheimer, released on July 21st 2023 in the US and Canada, to rave reviews and grossing a whopping 953.8 million(USD) at the box office.
It is considered Christopher Nolan’s most successful picture to date.
His magnum-opus , if you will.
And I think you will.
Rating 9.5/10
French fries, Hamburger and a Drive-in Movie.
Is that the smell of freedom?
