Midlothian, Texas, U.S.A. – Oppenheimer is a cinematic achievement for everyone involved, especially for Christopher Nolan who brought the film alive with his writing and directing.
Oppenheimer is a film that understands what story it is telling, who the audience of this story is, what it is trying to convey through this story and how important the story is.
It is the story of a man, as all of Nolan’s films are, who seeks to better the world in a way that he can truly make an impact.
That man just happens to be Robert Oppenheimer, who is in a race to create the ultimate weapon of mass destruction before the Nazis can.
Through the clever eye of cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and Nolan’s spectacular directing, the film follows the electric Cillian Murphy as he portrays Oppenheimer in his most important and even vulnerable moments.
We see how he builds himself up as one of the greatest minds of his time and get a look into that brilliant mind in visually stunning montages – accomplished with no digital effects, which is an impressive feat in itself.
We follow him as he begins to teach and mold minds, meeting his two “love interests” – Jean Tatlock, played excellently by Florence Pugh, and Katherine “Kitty” Harrison/Oppenheimer portrayed expertly by Emily Blunt.
They both flesh out the film by grounding Oppenheimer and also holding him accountable to who he is portraying himself to be.
The rest of the cast is star-studded and full of gems such as Robert Downey Jr., Rami Malek, and many more who shine in their respective roles.
Everything about this film shines, from the beautiful sets that immerse the viewer to the acting by the spectacular cast. The visuals themselves guarantee Nolan’s most engaging watch since The Dark Knight in 2008/ And they’re coupled with a score that sells how important and titanic the scale of the story is. It’s a full package of cinematic excellence.
Even more so, it actively discusses the consequences of who Oppenheimer is and his achievements heavily, forcing the viewer to look at him and the film in a new light. It portrays him as a man who made decisions that he believed in – although they were not the most moral from a current or historical standpoint – as he built the bomb and then what he tried to do after the bomb was built, even if it was too late.
It sees him as a complicated man who is still complicit in his own hubris.
Oppenheimer is amazing and definitely deserving of all praise.
McGlauthon Fleming IV is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
