Oppenheimer (2023) Movie Review

Synopsis:

J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is an American physicist tasked with building the world’s first-ever atomic bomb. To perform this daunting task, Oppenheimer will need a team of dedicated and ambitious scientists to do so.

Review:

Director Christopher Nolan is no stranger to capturing blockbuster films. These range from Interstellar (2014) to Tenet (2020).

With each of his films, Nolan has a very distinct approach to directing.

These include extended dialogue scenes, as well as his bombastic sound design.

Each of these elements is present in Nolan’s Oppenheimer. They reveal both his strengths and weaknesses as a director.

This film is a historical biopic detailing Oppenheimer’s storied life. As expected, storytelling is at the forefront.

Cillian Murphy’s performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer is a standout.

Despite competent performances, Nolan has a robotic approach to dialogue. Christopher Nolan has taken this approach with many of his films.

Most characters in Oppenheimer lack personality. This is aside from Matt Damon’s Leslie Groves.

Beyond his role as a gifted nuclear physicist, Cillian’s Oppenheimer still falls prey to Nolan’s heavy-handed dialogue.

Also, Christopher Nolan’s editing style during the first half is sporadic.

As an example, it goes back and forth between dialogue and very loud nuclear explosions.

This may have been an intentional decision by Nolan. Regardless, it is a distracting experience to witness.

Nolan uses Oppenheimer's 3-hour runtime to detail various events throughout Oppenheimer’s life.

As mentioned above, Oppenheimer’s first half is sporadic in its approach. This leads to a distracting viewing experience.

Oppenheimer’s second half takes a more methodical approach. This deals with Oppenheimer’s guilt over the destructive capabilities of his creation.

It is during these sequences that Nolan incorporates his distinctive visual style. Take the scene when the atomic bomb detonates as an example.

This sequence is also a visual spectacle, as is the rest of the film.

Cillian Murphy also displays a wide range of emotions during this sequence.

Aside from this sequence, there is an extraordinary amount of expositional dialogue. This approach may become tiring for some audiences.

Also, Robert Downey Jr. commits to his performance as the cunning businessman, Lewis Strauss.

Each time Downey is on screen, he gives it his all. He is one of the film’s most competent performers, along with Cillian Murphy.

Emily Blunt also portrays J. Robert Oppenheimer’s wife, Katherine “Kitty.”

Emily Blunt's performance is convincing. Despite this, she can often find herself overshadowed by the other actors.

Also, she isn’t expanded upon beyond her basic qualities as a devoted mother.

This may have been due to her lack of screen time rather than Blunt’s performance.

Florence Pugh portrays the secondary character Jean Tatlock, who becomes close to Oppenheimer.

As with Emily Blunt’s Kitty, Florence has a limited purpose. She acts as a plot device rather than a developed character.

Ludwig Göransson delivers a haunting composition as the film's composer. This score also serves to highlight the intense nature of the atomic bomb.

These qualities are on display through Göransson’s use of horns and violins throughout.

Ludwig’s score also fits the ever-present intensity of Oppenheimer’s mission.

Conclusion:

Oppenheimer highlights director Christopher Nolan’s distinctive, often impressive visuals.

Despite this, his tired approach to dialogue and storytelling can hamper the proceedings.

Actors such as Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. give standout performances. This is despite the film's robotic approach to line delivery.

It is often the case that Matt Damon’s Leslie Groves is the most human character in the film. He displays emotions that most other characters lack.

Oppenheimer’s pacing can also be a point of inconsistency. As an example, it jumps between scenes of dialogue and loud noises in an instant.

This editing approach is very sporadic. This leads to scenes where dialogue becomes inaudible at times.

Oppenheimer’s second half is the opposite. It takes an extraordinary amount of time to develop Oppenheimer even further.

Although Oppenheimer's dialogue is intelligent, its inconsistent pacing may distract viewers.

Florence Pugh’s Jean Tatlock and Emily Blunt’s Kitty Oppenheimer act as plot devices more than anything meaningful.

Regardless, both actresses’ performances are competent. Where Oppenheimer does succeed is with its visual sequences.

It also has standout performances from Robert Downey Jr. as well as Cillian Murphy.

Ludwig Göransson’s haunting score is another positive. With it, the composer highlights the daunting nature of Oppenheimer’s task.

He achieves this through his consistent use of violins and horns. Oppenheimer is also a visual achievement.

It is a film bolstered by competent actors delivering often robotic dialogue.

As a whole, Oppenheimer is good for history fans. This is despite its sporadic editing and lack of development for its side characters.

It is also recommended for audiences who appreciate Nolan’s visual filmmaking style.

Sam’s Action Reaction score:

Characters - 7/10

Story - 6.5/10

Editing - 6.5/10

Visuals - 8.5/10

Soundtrack - 7.5/10

Overall score: 7.2 out of 10