Source: IMDb
Is Oppenheimer worth all the praises and awards it’s been getting since its release? The answer is yes! The movie Oppenheimer, which is directed by Christopher Nolan, is an instant classic like The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, and Dunkirk, just to name a few. I enjoy his films and that he never exposes to the audience who the true protagonist is until near the end. Usually, in long films like these, you can find where the director could have shortened the film, but with this one, the whole 3 hours were needed.
Source: Universal Pictures Youtube Channel
Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is a complicated man—more for his personal life than professional. We learn of his complicated relationship with Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh), whose affair carried on through his marriage to Katherine Oppenheimer (Emily Blunt). The tragic ending of Jean was one of the many things that affected Oppenheimer’s life. Katherine and Oppenheimer’s relationship was complicated as well, Katherine was strong where he was weak, and this is what got him through when later after the war, his country tried to turn their back on him, but Katherine told him to fight. Her affiliation along with his brother’s affiliation with the Communist Party complicated Oppenheimer’s professional life as a scientist for the government. This made it difficult for him to get security clearance. Despite all of this, he was still recruited to lead a government project called the Manhattan Project. General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) knew he was smart enough but wondered if he could be trusted due to his past affiliation with the Communist Party,
Oppenheimer assembled a crew of top engineers and physicists, this crew soon discovered that the atom could be split. This discovery led to the invention of the Atom bomb, the military asked for them to step up their progress so that this invention could be turned into a bomb, this is where Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr) who was a high-ranking member of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). Upon meeting Oppenheimer and his team, he tells them that the Soviets have some of the information that they have. Oppenheimer thinks it’s impossible, and that is when he is told that there are some spies within his crew. Strauss feels that Oppenheimer isn’t equipped to handle the task, but Oppenheimer feels confident that despite his misgivings they can complete the task. The conflicts between Strauss and Oppenheimer will eventually cause Oppenheimer’s downfall in the government,
This movie is visually and cinematically pleasing to see. The scenes where Oppenheimer feels that he is on the precipice of finding a solution or the guilt he feels in the events in life are powerful to the story. We feel his excitement, guilt, and pain with these outward visions of what he feels on the inside are powerful visually to watch.
Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of Robert Oppenheimer displayed his emotion and naivete on how things in the government work. I liked how Katherine, brilliantly played by Emily Blount, was flawed and their relationship complex, she had her husband’s back and pushed him to fight when things got rough. What can I say about Robert Downey Jr and his portrayal of Strauss, who at first glance seemed to be on Oppenheimer’s side but later we find himself to be his biggest enemy.
Christopher Nolan told a great story about Robert Oppenheimer. A historical through no fault of his own, erased from history. Although he created a bomb that caused so much destruction, he never sat right with it. Nolan brought to life Oppenheimer’s complex life; the difficult decisions he had to make and how those decisions affected the rest of his life. This is a must-watch!