“Oppenheimer” is a biographical film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. It is based on a biography entitled American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Cillian Murphy displays a masterful performance in the lead role. He is joined by quite a collection of co-stars which includes Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh. There are some unexpected appearances from other well-known actors.
Julius Robert Oppenheimer is considered the father of the atomic bomb. He conducted the research and development of the bomb in New Mexico during the thick of World War II. The film delves into the conflict between his patriotism and conscience. He has grave and understandable concerns about the potential hazards of entrusting the government with such an awesome destructive power. Also, he was linked to some Communist interests, which led to some concerns from the government about his loyalty to the nation. The film was very thorough in displaying the personal and professional consequences to Dr. Oppenheimer during the creation of the bomb and after it was unleashed on Japan.
Cillian Murphy gives one of the most compelling performances I have seen in some time. The cast was on its A game every step of the way. Emily Blunt plays Oppenheimer’s wife, who has some of her scientific accomplishments, although that was not explored all that much. Matt Damon plays General Leslie Groves, who oversees the Manhattan Project in New Mexico after recruiting Oppenheimer. Robert Downey Jr. takes on the role of Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and ends up being a major thorn in Oppenheimer’s side.
The film is not without a few distracting flaws and at times feels as long as the three-hour runtime, but it is still very worthy of the acclaim it has received. The most noticeable difficulty is that the film was not always clear as to the timeline. Nolan once again avoids unveiling his story in a direct linear fashion. The transitions to different time periods still seem rather sudden which makes it a little hard to appreciate the writing and the performances to the fullest.
Fortunately, the strengths of the film are way more numerous than its problems. If there is such a thing as a perfect film, Nolan’s Oppenheimer gets closer to that mark than any film I have seen in recent years. Not only does it convey one of the most pivotal periods in American and world history, the artistry of this film is not likely to be matched for some time to come.
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