Our J.P. reviews “Oppenheimer,” a thriller directed by Christopher Nolan and stars an all-star cast, including Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh.
Oppenheimer
(Universal Pictures)
- Directed by Christopher Nolan
- Screenplay by Christopher Nolan
- Based on “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin
- Produced by Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, and Christopher Nolan
- Starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, and Kenneth Branagh
Studio Synopsis:
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX®-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it.
J.P.’s Take:
Julius Robert Oppenheimer is dubbed the “father of the Atomic-bomb” and is the catalyst of an Earth-shattering event. His vision gave birth to nuclear physics, thus leading the way to the creation of the world’s most destructive weapon. From that point on, the nuclear arms race begins. Award-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan put us in the room as Oppenheimer envisions a world ravaged by his genius.
Is he a martyr, hometown hero, or mad scientist? As we dig deeper, we find he’s a man haunted by his brilliance. “Oppenheimer” chronicles the events of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s early years as a young chemistry student following him up to the moment he receives the urgent call to fight for the country he loves. We witness pitfalls, twists, and turns of his personal life, as he navigates the treacherous world of science. What’s chilling is you’re not only watching a biopic; you’re watching it morph into an apocalyptic thriller at once. The moment Oppenheimer receives word that the Nazis are working on a version of an atomic bomb, he diligently gets to work on the US version. It is said that this would be the bomb that would end World War II.
“Oppenheimer” is a 3-hour excursion that is engrossing to the last scene. Nolan’s revelatory storytelling, with even-tempered pacing, keeps you hooked. It’s about human’s inhumanity to humankind. In foresight, Oppenheimer is just a wide-eyed theoretical physicist, but in hindsight, he was serving his country. In the process, he grappled with the frightening prospect of annihilation.
Nolan also shines a light on J. R. Oppenheimer’s (Cillian Murphy) naiveté exposing his flaws. Yet, he’s intelligent and fragile as well. There is also an eerie undertone to his transformation. Although he understands that the formation of the Manhattan Project will solidify his fate as the foremost brilliant nuclear physicist, he diligently pushes forth with the notion that it would be this country’s undoing. Let alone the world. Quite the dichotomy.
The presentation is accentuated by a brassy and unsettling score, which is appropriate for the atmosphere. You’re bound to play who’s who with the all-star cast of heavy hitters, such as Emily Blunt as Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, Casey Affleck as Boris Pash, Rami Malek as David Hill, and Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr, just to name a few. All blended seamlessly into their roles.
When it was all said and done, I felt as though I was reading a historical novel, not a trendy bio-doc. “Oppenheimer” gave me chills in the end.
Universal Pictures)Official Site: Oppenheimer