When a new Christopher Nolan film comes out it’s appointment viewing. All film fans mark the date down when one of his films comes out. His newest film Oppenheimer is no exception to that rule. It may be one of if not the most anticipated films in his career. Especially since it’s coming off of a feud he had with his long-time collaborators Warner Brothers. Which in turn made him create a bidding war for his latest film. And Universal Pictures won that bidding war, but that’s just the beginning of the story. Here’s the rest of the story.

This film as suggested in the title is about J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) the man who spearheaded the Manhattan Project which in turn created the A-Bomb. That’s only part of the story and only part of this film. It’s a big part of this movie but like a lot of biopics, it’s more about how the story got to that point. And there is a lot more to the story than just the creation of one of the most devastating weapons in any country’s arsenal in the world. There are a lot of moving pieces to this story.

The movie starts with two distinct filming styles with titles. One is Fission and the 2nd is Fusion. This obviously refers to the different kinds of energy used to make the two bombs that were dropped famously by American troops over the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The film uses beautiful black and white and vivid colors to differentiate these two separate storylines within the film. The cinematography by Hoyt Van Hoytema in both segments is absolutely amazing. 

These different parts of the film are also used in two framing devices. Separate from the main story about Murphy’s Oppenheimer. The framing devices are very effective in eliciting an emotional response from me while I was watching them. The sound mixing during these scenes is off the chain. And with three separate arcs going on, there has to be incredible editing and there is by the entire editing department. The cutting back and forth between these separate parts of the movie is so meticulously done. It’s perfect in every way.

Nolan as a director has played with time in so many of his past films and this one uses time in a more linear way even though there are three story arcs. The film still has the three-act structure as well. Not deviating from that at all. Even though the three arcs have distinctly different feels to them. He uses all these three parts in distinctly different ways. Which I was completely on board with. The direction is masterful and I can’t imagine anybody doing this any better than Nolan did. He is the frontrunner for the Best Director Academy Award at next year’s Oscars. He is at the top of his game.

With all of the technical acumen that this movie possesses it’s hard to forget the incredible acting throughout this amazing movie. Starting with the titular title character played by Cillian Murphy. Nolan has been working with him for years now but he has gotten the performance of Murphy’s career out of him this time around. Murphy plays Oppenheimer a bit stoic at times but the man is a genius and Murphy shows that in his performance of him. He even gets angry at times but most of the time he plays him pretty straightforwardly. That’s fine though because the dialogue he is given does all the work for him. 

I could be here writing about this cast Nolan assembled all day but I don’t have that kind of time. So I will only mention a handful that do a superb job in the movie. Starting with Robert Downey Jr. who is given the role of his lifetime as Lewis Strauss, a government official who has aspirations of political office who has a history with Oppenheimer.  His arc is so surprising and yet so shocking all at the same time. Downey Jr. gives the performance of his career. He is definitely the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor as of now at next year’s Oscars. 

Matt Damon as a General who helps get the Manhattan Project started Emily Blunt as Oppenheimer’s feisty wife,  Jason Clarke as a formidable lawyer on the Gray Committee who decides whether or not Oppenheimer should retain his special security clearance, Alden Ehrenreich as Downey Jr.’s character assistant. All of these actors are incredible in this film. They are just a handful of great actors who give terrific performances in this movie. They all bring their A-game to this film. 

The historical significance of this masterpiece can’t be forgotten. This movie depicts a moment in time that is very important to America. What was created in this moment is the most dangerous thing in the history of the world and the decisions that went along with creating it didn’t go unnoticed by the people that mattered in the government at the time. There were a lot of behind-the-scenes men who wanted all the credit for this and were jealous when they didn’t get it. The FBI and other government organizations played a big hand in what happened after the bombs were dropped. In the third act that’s when things get interesting.

Oppenheimer is an absolute masterpiece of filmmaking in every way conceivable. From sound mixing, editing, cinematography, directing, and writing. The actors have the best people behind the cameras so they can give, in some cases, the performance of their careers in front of the cameras. 70MM cameras that make the film look like a time capsule. Both during the black and white segments and color segments alike. The historical significance of this story can’t be forgotten but Nolan gives the audience an inspiring tale of American pride and power along with American corruption, backstabbing, and jealousy. One man’s hero is another man’s scapegoat. This parable sums it up though, Greek God Prometheus Steals Fire From his Family and Gives it to the Humans to Help Them Because They Need it and Ends up Being Tied to a Rock for the Rest of his Life as a Penalty for His Insolence. That’s what this story is about and it succeeds in its task of telling this story perfectly. I don’t use that word lightly. This is a perfect movie in every way possible. 

5 stars

Dan Skip Allen