“It’s alive!!!,” shouts Dr. Victor Frankenstein upon learning that his creation, composed of various body parts, became animate after being charged by lightning. Dr. Frankenstein, as expected, was beaming with pride. He did after all injected life into a corpse.
Frankenstein’s triumph however was short-lived. His creation, a grotesque looking monster, ended up killing his brother and wife. Frankenstein, now sullen and depressed, vowed to kill his scientific marvel.
This story mirrors a historical event. A certain J. Robert Oppenheimer, blinded by ambition, decided to harness the powers of the atom to create a new weapon. And like Frankenstein, Oppenheimer succeeded.
But, his triumph also came at a terrible price: “he has become death, the destroyer of worlds.” Burdened by his accomplishment, Oppenheimer, like Frankenstein, sought to restrain his invention from obliterating the Earth.
This irony is brought to the fore in the latest Christopher Nolan movie with the same namesake. Now, playing in theaters is Oppenheimer.
What’s to Like
Indeed, the movie is beautifully done and executed. You won’t find it ordinary.
For starters, the storytelling is unique. It jumps from present to past and vice versa.
The film also changes its color scheme from time to time. If the scene is colored, then it is being told through the eyes of Oppenheimer. But, if the episode is in black and white, then the perspective is from a third party. Quite ingenious.
The visuals were also impressive. The moviegoer would see how Christopher Nolan made use of the rain, the sun, and fire in various artful ways.
The cinematography was also notable; the shots were breathtaking. For example, the wide camera angles of Los Alamos and Trinity Testing grounds looked expansive and real. The details were crisp. Nolan utilized IMAX to the hilt.
Now, if Christopher Nolan gave viewers a visual buffet, then the audience ears would be in for a treat. Ludwig Göransson, the composer of the film’s soundtrack, did a good job conveying the emotions on the screen via his music. His tunes kept in step with the drama and suspense of the movie. Hans Zimmer was not missed.
The Cast
Oppeheimer is also a treat to watch due to its ensemble cast. You’ll see Rami Malek, Mathew Modine, Gary Oldman, Jack Quaid, Florence Pugh, Casey Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kenneth Branagh to name a few. But, the spotlight rightfully should be focused on the motion picture’s major stars: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy. All four played the most pivotal roles in the movie.
Matt Damon credibly transformed into the no-nonsense General Leslie Groves. Emily Blunt showed the sophistication needed for the role of Katherine Oppenheimer. Robert Downey Jr. was perfect to play Lewis Strauss. The audience will be surprised that Mr. Downey won’t be as wise cracking in this movie like in his previous roles. If he had an abundance of charisma bringing life to Tony Stark, then in Oppenheimer he effectively played a character devoid of charm at all. Mr. Downey may get an Oscar nomination for his effort to say the least.
But, the best thespian of them all was Cillian Murphy. He mimicked Oppenheimer’s movements, tendencies, and even tonality to perfection. He lost weight to look like the gaunt scientist. Most of all, he made the moviegoers feel his character’s moral dilemmas. Mr. Murphy will surely get an Oscar nod for this role; he may even win the trophy next March.
Of course, no review of Oppenheimer would be complete without mentioning the director, the mastermind, and the captain himself: Christopher Nolan.
Admittedly, I have been an unabashed Chris Nolan fan. I’ve watched all of his movies. To me Oppenheimer is his best work to date. It trumps The Dark Knight — arguably the best comic book/superhero movie of all time — by a hair. It was that close. But, I have to give the thumbs up to the Oppy lead motion picture. Because in Oppenheimer, Mr. Nolan’s pace as a director was perfect. The narrative shuttled from past, present, and future effortlessly. He made a story that focused on a nuclear test suspenseful. The Manhattan Project, though historic, was fundamentally a project. There is nothing riveting about a work plan. Leave it to Mr. Nolan to make the damn thing exciting.
Mr. Nolan also should be credited for two things. His boldness in filming Oppenheimer in IMAX and for eschewing CGI. With the first, Mr. Nolan tries to elevate our movie-going experience to a new level. He wants those watching to feel as if they’re witnessing the story in person. With the second, Mr. Nolan steps back from computer generated illusions and uses old fashioned ways to create his effects. He utilizes real explosions to convey the realism of his scenes.
Mr. Nolan has only been nominated for an Academy award for best director. He got snubbed for The Dark Knight and Inception. But, with Oppenheimer, he may get the Oscar next year.
Now, if there is one possible demerit that the film displays, it is its running time. At three hours, some may find it too tedious to watch. But, that is subjective. Just make sure you go to the bathroom prior to taking your seat in the cinema. Other than that, you’re good to go.
Our Takeaway
With all the merits that the movie displays, it does tell a harsh lesson. Knowledge per se isn’t evil; the issue lies in how humans use it. Ideas don’t hurt until they are placed at the tip of the sword or in the case of the inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — at the moment when the atom is split.
Verdict:
1 – Don’t bother
2 – Rerun material
3 – Watch if you’re bored
4 – Entertaining, but not a must-see.
5 – Watch now! [And do so in IMAX if you can]
This film gets a solid 5!
Playing the Point 