One of the most anticipated films this year and one of the most hyped, "Oppenheimer" shatters and exceeds all expectations. This is easily the most technically impressive blockbuster release so far this year. But beware the nature of the beast. If slow, meticulous, dialogue-heavy dramas are not your cup of tea then "Oppenheimer" is an affair you may best decide to skip. But for everyone else, this is an instant masterpiece, best experienced in cinemas, and Christopher Nolan at his most refined.
It's 1954 and J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is under a security hearing to determine if he was loyal to the United States when he helped developed the first atomic bomb in Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II. At risk is his Q clearance, if revoked, will end his relationship with the United States government for good.
Where do we even begin? "Oppenheimer" is a technical masterpiece in every regard. It's rare for us to be genuinely awestruck with a film and "Oppenheimer" blew us away with most if not all of its content. The biggest surprise for us was it's approach in detailing Oppenheimer's life. The man is a divisive figure, being both a hero and a villain at the same time, and the narrative was able to find the perfect balance of showcasing the genius of Oppenheimer and also a very flawed person with a lot of baggage - just like the rest of us. If we could best describe "Oppenheimer", it was a thriller, political and court room drama, science, and even romance all rolled into one well-written package. The visuals and soundtrack are a given. And Nolan didn't disappoint. The use of practical effects 100% of the time is an achievement. Knowing that each scene, including the ones that try to showcase the beauty and power of the atomic world, just added a layer of authenticity that could never be replicated by visual effects alone.
At exactly 3 hours long, we feared that boredom will get to us eventually. But surprisingly, this film was engaging from start to finish. The scene to scene pacing was frenetic for a dialogue-heavy film and we never really felt those three hours tick by. Along with the outstanding soundtrack by Ludwig Göransson, this was intense, interesting, tense-filled at all the right moments. It also helped a lot that the film had career-defining performances from its lead and the other supporting cast where outstanding too. This is the best performance we have ever seen Robert Downey Jr. show but Cillian Murphy in the lead role was by far our favorite. Both of these actors, as recognizable and famous as they are, made us forget who they were in real-life. Murphy became Oppenheimer and Downey Jr. became Lewis Strauss. This film was astounding in its scope and execution and it will be a hallmark film against the already legendary filmography from Christopher Nolan.
Oppenheimer Movie Review: Monumental Achievement
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