This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie/series/feature being covered here wouldn't exist.
"Christopher Nolan proves here he is a master of his craft, providing an captivating and emotional epic with Oppenheimer."
BY ELLIOT LINES JULY 22, 2023
July 21st has been the date on every movie lovers calendar ever since it was announced Oppenheimer and Barbie were to release on the same day. Now known as Barbenheimer, the day has finally arrived, and it has not disappointed. Christopher Nolan's in depth character study of the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer not only is a visual spectacle, but an absolute [something] inducing thrill ride.
Imbedded in history, what Oppenheimer achieved is known by most. The creation of the atomic bomb was seen as something that needed to be created in order to save it. Nolan however focus' his attention firmly on the man behind the bomb, creating an in depth character study. The way in which he achieves this is by jumping between different times in Oppenheimer's life, working our way through his history, right up until years after the Hiroshima bombing. The structure is clear and will be easy for most to follow, helping the 3 hour runtime of Oppenheimer absolutely fly by without a hitch.
The first and second act are the clearer story arcs, running through Oppenheimer's life, but it's the third act that pieces it all together. For me, I found myself on the edge of my seat absolutely engrossed in what was being put forward in the final hour. There may be a lot of dialogue, but there was no moment I wanted to remove my eyes from the screen. There were moments where this final act delved deep into Oppenheimer's guilt that blew me away, just these subtle moments got me itching to see what was coming next.
Cillian Murphy is well known to us here in the UK (Peaky Blinders fame), and Nolan has used him plenty of times before. We know of his excellent acting ability and he is in overdrive mode here. Oppenheimer gives him the opportunity to throw so much emotion at a role that has to be a balance between morality and chaos, with a character that goes through such a range of life changing moments. His supporting cast are perfect for the roles they play, with the likes of Robert Downey Jnr, Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt, whether they only have limited screen time, each one of them takes their moment and embraces their role.
Oppenheimer's three hour run time flies by at a breakneck pace, not allowing the viewer to settle. The first two hours will have you intrigued but the third will grip you and not let go. Christopher Nolan proves here he is a master of his craft, providing an captivating and emotional epic with Oppenheimer.
STAR RATING
