[Rating: Solid Rock Fist Up]
Now in theaters
In the grand Barbenheimer of 2023, I personally recommend watching Oppenheimer first as the subject matter is so heavy, I had to watch something happy afterwards and I had seen Barbie first. But, judge for yourself!
Men have had access to some of the most dangerous things in the world, time and time again. In the hands of one, many can suffer and many often do. Take for example during the onslaught of World War II, a modern Promethus who “harnessed the sun,” in an attempt to destroy. The complex history of J. Robert Oppenheimer is presented on screen in a grandiose attempt by Christopher Nolan in his latest epic, Oppenheimer that hits with a bang and slowly fizzles to one gut-wrenching final moment.
For my experience, I saw this film in Dolby. I think Nolan is one of the most pretentious directors working today. For him to make a film and then tell audiences how to watch it (especially because in Kansas, I don’t have the resources of a 70mm IMAX) is ridiculous. The Dolby was great. The place was shaking and I got a quality viewing in a nice recliner for three hours. The sound quality was pristine and the cinematography gorgeous. Seriously, see this in whatever format you want.
Cillian Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist who was influential in bringing quantum physics to the United States. He is approached during World War II by Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) to oversee the Manhattan Project. A top secret government project that wants the best scientists in the world to work on in order to beat the Nazis to create the ultimate weapon and possibly destroy the entire world. Oppenheimer wants the best and offers Los Alamos, New Mexico as a research facility and to seek out the best scientists in the world to move their entire livelihood in order to continuously work. Fears of what a bomb could potentially do are noted by Albert Einstein (Tom Conti) and ideas of creating a hydrogen bomb are presented, but the main goal of simply making an atom bomb pushes Oppenheimer to the near brink, until, in 1945 the Trinity test is commenced. For the rest of the story, check back on your AP U.S. history books!
Alongside the story of the Manhattan Project is the story of what happens after. Oppenheimer is subjected to a series of private meetings lead by Robert Robb (Jason Clarke) and Gordon Gray (Tony Goldwyn) that question if Oppenheimer is loyal to his country despite having a suspected background of Communism. Aided by his long suffering wife, Kitty (Emily Blunt), Oppenheimer faces the ultimate test to prove his loyalty to the country and to Kitty. He’s had a past with known Communist Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) that brings bitter memories back to Kitty. Meanwhile, Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr) , an ally to Oppenheimer, starts to turn against him and questions Oppenheimer’s loyalty in order to make his own political gain in the world.
The movie itself is pretty darn terrific. I personally enjoy American history (flaws and all) and don’t know much about the Manhattan Project, or that of Oppenheimer. Nolan does a near terrific job in blending history together to create a very effective film that gut punches you at every turn. It flows so well. The performance of Murphy is honestly perfection and so far my favorite performance of the year.
The film and the events become a “will it, won’t it” if the bomb can successfully work and the Trinity test scene is honest to god one of the scariest scenes I have seen this year. My biggest complaint is the later half of the film. It dives deep into the hearing of Oppenheimer and while those scenes work very well when they are incorporated into the Manhattan Project scenes, they really weigh the last half of the film down. However, in these scenes we do get some of Downey’s best acting post Marvel (which is basically in forever!).
I would double feature this with the Peacock documentary To End All War: Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb to get even more of an insight on the father of the Atomic Age. That really explores the psyche of was it morally right to drop the bomb. And as I watched this three hour epic unfold, I was left wondering the same thing. Nolan ends this movie in a scary, scary way that will leave audiences questioning everything they have ever understood about humanity.
Christian Ramos is a classic film fan, having had the dream to host Turner Classic Movies for years now. He also has a large amount of Oscar trivia in his head, remembers dressing as Groucho Marx one Halloween, and cherishes the moment Julianne Moore liked his tweet.
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