- Release Date: 21/07/2023
- Cast: Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt
- Director: Christopher Nolan
All Christopher Nolan films have been expansive and extraordinary in their scale, imagination, storytelling and execution. When I learned that he was writing and directing a biopic on the life of the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, based on the book “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer”, I was taken aback as I couldn’t comprehend how Nolan, a man who cannot make small films, would take a story of such a personal and restrictive nature and turn it into a large-scale spectacle. I was confident that he would use the first atomic explosion as the grand finale for the film and would create something that would leave us in awe.
I also considered that he might even take us through his own version and visual rendition of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nolan is known for surprising his audiences, and he almost always does so in a good way. I was confident that he would somehow surprise me with his latest film as well. However, what I didn’t expect was that he would surprise me by making one of the most low-key, yet strangely captivating and spectacular biopics that I have seen in years. “Oppenheimer” is the most not-Nolan-like film that Christopher Nolan could have made and it is a good thing.
There is nothing grand or shattering about the limits to which the film pushes its visuals or spectacles, even though it revolves around the detonation of an atomic bomb. Shockingly, the nuclear blast doesn’t even serve as the climax of the film. On the contrary, the film goes on for at least 45 minutes after the tests. Interestingly, what Nolan has his sight firmly set on in the film is deciphering the compelling character of J. Robert Oppenheimer and giving us a window into the psyche of the man who, while loved and celebrated his achievement, became one of the most famous men in the world but nevertheless was endlessly hounded and haunted by the demons emanating from his life’s work and its consequences.
He was aware of the unimaginable destruction and the terrifying power that he had unlocked by building these bombs. Nolan takes pleasure and keen interest in dwelling on the actions of Oppenheimer, which are a direct result of what he feels after creating the bomb and witnessing the annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He draws parallels with what Oppenheimer tried to do afterwards to ensure a check on the unbridled power of destruction that he had unleashed with his creation.
This aspect of the story allows Nolan to present the final act of the story as a generic good-vs-evil fight, played out in the form of a departmental enquiry and a Senate hearing, unfolding at a breakneck pace in parallel. If that was not enough, we see Oppenheimer’s entire story unfolding in tandem with the other two tracks, with the focus of the narrative in the second half especially concentrating on the deposition and the senate hearing. This happens after the atomic test is carried out, the bombs are dropped on Japan, and Oppenheimer starts advocating for Nuclear Weapons control rather than proceeding with the Hydrogen Bomb.
As was the case in reality, this attitude of Oppenheimer didn’t go down well with the US government and especially with a man who was initially in awe of him but later developed a simmering hate for him and his beliefs. This man was Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), and he would go on to set into motion a chain of events that would not only threaten the legacy that Oppenheimer carefully built but would also go on to determine how nuclear warfare would be approached in the future and why it was so important to rein in on the demon that was unleashed by Oppenheimer but was now spreading to all corners of the world.
One of the two things that reminded me from time to time that “Oppenheimer” was a Nolan film was the editing. I can safely say that this film would not have been so interesting, engaging, and engrossing, and it wouldn’t have felt so breezy if it hadn’t been for how it is edited. This is one of the best examples of weaving together a plethora of aspects of a straightforward story in a manner that makes it oddly complicated and yet organically easy to follow at the same time.
The editing makes the story go back and forth in such a dynamic fashion that in the hands of a lesser director, it could have been rendered almost unintelligible. However, in Nolan’s hands, the editing not only ensures that the audience is hooked to the narrative as their intellect is challenged by the unfolding of a straightforward tale in an extraordinarily complex and laid out manner, but it also makes the 3-hour runtime feel at least half an hour shorter. The brilliance of the editing is bound to grab the attention of even those with the least cinematic sense, as it is so obvious and in your face.
One of the best examples of this is seen in the brief portion involving a character, Boris Pash (Cassey Affleck), and his portion of the story with Oppenheimer. In this brief portion, we see the interaction of the man with Oppenheimer, its implications in the near future, and its implications in the distant future when Oppenheimer is brought up against various charges.
We see all of this unfolding parallelly and edited to a rhythmic build that reaches a crescendo by the time we reach the end of this particular portion. This is done so proficiently that when you watch the film, you don’t even notice the mastery of the editing style and technicalities that went into this sequence. It’s only when you think about it later that you realise the greatness and skill that you had just witnessed. This was not the first time that I had experienced editing of this nature, but it was definitely done well enough to merit being remembered and replicated.
The second most noticeable Nolan trait in the film was its cinematography. The film looks breathtakingly beautiful in its presentation of the two major timelines. The story and deposition of Oppenheimer are shot in colour, while the portion involving Lewis Strauss, the Senate hearing, and everything documented in ink is shot in black and white.
The black and white portions of the film reminded me of the classic monochrome colours of the 30s-40s Hollywood films. It felt exactly the same and elevated the impact of the visuals considerably. The only thing that felt odd was the crystal-clear Dolby Atmos sound, which served as a reminder that we were not in the 30s or 40s, as films of that era didn’t boast such detailed and clear sound.
The colour portions are no less alluring. Even though the story of the film doesn’t give Nolan enough chances to get creative with his shots and camera positioning, he brings enough character and beauty into the visuals to remind us that it was a Christopher Nolan film. His use of close-ups and how the facial close-ups fill up the IMAX aspect ratio accounts for some interesting viewing.
Coupled with the stellar expressions and renditions of various emotions by the ensemble cast, especially Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr., this aspect of the cinematography leaves an indelible mark on the audiences by giving them a long and hard look at the expressions of the men and women involved in the story and allows them to decipher these characters at key moments through their expressions and not spoken words.
That brings me to the performances of the film. “Oppenheimer” boasts of a stellar ensemble cast, including actors like Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Josh Hartnett, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh, and Rami Malek, to name just a few. Many of these actors have nothing more than a glorified cameo, yet somehow, Nolan is successful in making their characters worthwhile and their presence memorable. Matt Damon’s introductory sequence comes as a bolt from the blue and unsettled me completely as I was just beginning to push back in my seat and let the narrative wash over me. His dialogues with Murphy are exceptionally well written and better still rendered by the actor with impeccable timing. Robert Downey Jr., as Lewis Strauss is astounding. I loved how Downey Jr. brought out the subtle nuances of the character and its fragile nature as he slipped from being a man in awe of Oppenheimer to someone who was out to bury the man under the load of his own achievements and question his dedication to the country that he had made unimaginably powerful.
Finally, Cillian Murphy gets to be the leading man in a Nolan film, and he makes the most of the opportunity given to him. He interprets the character of Oppenheimer in his own way, bringing his own mannerisms and sensibility to the many conflicts and emotionally charged situations that define the character.
Oppenheimer’s reactions to the numerous conflicts and the world-changing implications of his actions are all beautifully rendered by Murphy, who, after a while, becomes the man and effortlessly disappears behind his skin. His chemistry with Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. is terrific and forms the core of the film’s many powerful dramatic altercations.
It will be difficult for you to foresee the relationship between him and Robert Downey Jr.’s character going the way it does unless you know the story beforehand. Similarly, the way his collaboration with Matt Damon’s character starts doesn’t give off the kind of vibe that yells that they will end up being mammoth influences on each other’s work, but they do. All these intricate details and dramatic payloads are delivered potently by Murphy with his searing portrayal of a man who was applauded just as much as he was loathed.
“Oppenheimer” is not for everyone. Those going into it with the typical expectations associated with a Nolan film will be sorely disappointed. This is not a film primarily about the atomic tests; rather, it painstakingly documents and records the period of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s life, from his time at Cambridge to losing his top security clearance in the USA.
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The film skillfully touches on all the major events in his life during this period, of which the Atom Bomb tests were just one aspect. The film doesn’t end with the Atomic Bomb tests but with the rulings of the Senate hearing, and it includes a captivating conversation between two equally brilliant minds that went on to shape the world as we know it.
If you are interested in the history of the creation of the atomic bomb and a character study of its complex and brilliant creator, then “Oppenheimer” will engage you immensely. However, be prepared for 3 hours of incessant dialogues where you have to figure out a lot of things that are not spoon-fed to you in the most straightforward manner. The exceptional story of Oppenheimer, Nolan’s writing and direction, solid performances, breath-taking cinematography, and masterful editing and attention to detail make this film one of the most fulfilling watches of this year.
Rating: 4/5 (4 out of 5 Stars)
The views expressed in this article are that of the reviewer and do not reflect EastMojo’s position
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