Movie Review II: OPPENHEIMER

August 15, 2023

By Bessy ADUT

Thanks to all my readers for your great feedback on my first review, today I am going to talk about a complete contrast film that is Oppenheimer which is a biographical thriller of this summer, released in 2023 and directed by Christopher Nolan.

The film chronicles the career of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer based on a novel. Oppenheimer, who is Jewish, is particularly driven by the Nazis' potentially completing their nuclear weapons program, headed by Heisenberg.

Film has a tremendous cast Cillian Murphy as the lead character with Emily Blunt as his wife. Matt Damon is the head of the Manhattan Project with supporting actors such as Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr, and Lewis Strauss, and a character who left a scar on me that is Florance Pugh, who acts as the mistress of the scientist as well as a member of the communist party. Some other successful supporting actors include Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, and Kenneth Branagh.

From a technical point of view, filmmakers and film nerds are equally impressed that the film is shot on IMAX 65 mm and 65 mm large-format film, with some sections in black and white photography. There are large practical effects and minimal CGI. These effects look incredible on screen and really do reflect the psychology of our main character very well. There is absolutely some sort of magic in the film that digital technology doesn’t catch up on.

Film’s premiere has been at Le Grand Rex in Paris on July 11, 2023, and was theatrically released in the United States and the United Kingdom on July 21 by Universal.

Synchronized release with Warner Bros.' Barbie led to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon cheered audiences to see both films as a double feature.

BARBENHEIMER: BARBIE V OPPENHEIMER

I have also moved from the pink existential crisis of Barbie into a world war II drama. I agree with most critics who praised this movie for its cast, screenplay, and visuals. This is a really spectacular film that makes you glued to your seat for 3 hours.

I admire the screenplay Oppenheimer, I don’t believe this could be written by Ai at all. The performances of the cast are all Academy Award worthy. And the visuals both the cinematography and the stunning visual effects were art work. This was one of the best films of 2023. However, I do agree female characters in this movie were a bit under the shadow.

I definitely recommend this movie. Peter Suderman writing for Reason magazine said that the film leaves the viewer with a sense of, "...fear and foreboding about the horror of full-on nuclear conflict in the wake of the nuclear bomb. Humanity is both great and terrible. Oppenheimer isn't just a movie—it's a warning." Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV rated the film 4.5 stars out of 5 and stated: "Oppenheimer, a cinematic achievement of blinding brilliance, achieves a sublime combination of visual grandeur, technical flair, emotional intimacy and an examination of the limits of human endeavor and ambition.” The film has been criticized by some reviewers as a missed opportunity for telling "how American leaders knowingly risked and caused harm to the health of their fellow citizens in the name of war." I personally saw an excited science man being cheered and celebrated for his achievements to turn into almost a criminal dealing with a lot of personal guilt as well. Scientific achievement seems to come with a price, that is:

The film starts by introducing us to young doctoral student Robert Oppenheimer in his 20s who studies under experimental in Cambridge. He is recommended by a visiting scientist to continue his PhD studies in Germany. These college scenes are short and sweet but get to the point that he is a remarkable, smart person.

When Oppenheimer returns to the United States, he wants to expand quantum physics research. He teaches at the University of California, Berkeley and the California Institute of Technology. He meets his future wife, Katherine "Kitty" Puening, a biologist and ex-communist. In 1938, Nazi Germany's progress in nuclear fission research spurs Oppenheimer and his colleagues to replicate their results.

Later on in the movie, 1942 Oppenheimer gets recruited by the Manhattan Project to develop an atomic bomb once he convinces them that he has no Nazi sympathies. He assembles his scientific team. Later on, he finds out about Tatlock’s devastating tragic ending.

After Germany surrenders, some project scientists question the bomb's relevance, while Oppenheimer believes using it will quickly end the ongoing war in the Pacific, saving Allied lives. However, he and Albert Einstein had discussed the small possibility that an atomic detonation could trigger an atmospheric chain reaction and destroy the world. This is a crucial part of the film.

It’s not that they are not aware of the risks of the bomb but they go for it anyway.

The Trinity test is successful and President Harry S. Truman orders Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be bombed, forcing Japan's surrender. Oppenheimer is thrust into the public eye as the "father of the atomic bomb", but the immense destruction and mass fatalities haunt him. He urges Truman to restrict further nuclear weapon development, which Truman dismisses. As an advisor to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Oppenheimer advocates against further nuclear research, especially the hydrogen bomb proposed by Edward Teller.

A flashback shows a conversation between Einstein and Oppenheimer in which Strauss incorrectly believed Oppenheimer denigrated him. Oppenheimer had actually shared his fears with Einstein that nuclear weapons could ultimately lead to a nuclear holocaust.

In conclusion, film’s most exciting moments were when the bomb is being created and tested. These scenes were really lively and dynamic. Later on, there is a scene when Oppenheimer makes a speech and through the mix of visual effects and images, we understand the damages behind these celebrations. We don’t see much about the aftermath of the war and its effects on civilians in this movie but it’s subtly implied.

Overall this is a great film based on a true story and I highly recommend it.

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Movie Review II: OPPENHEIMER

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