Oppenheimer

            The term “event movie” nowadays usually gets tossed around when the new Marvel film hits the theaters, but it wasn’t always like that. This year the event movie has been brought back and with a little help from the studios, big time stars and big name directors. It’s been a while but this year we are getting not one, but two event movies on the same day. The one we will be discussing in this here article is Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, where we learn about the father of the atomic bomb, while setting a new standard for a biopic.
Robert Oppenheimer ( Cillian Murphy) didn’t always want to invent a weapon that could kill thousands, at first he just wanted to bring quantum physics to the U.S. Life, however, had other plans, and when the Germans became the aggressors, a new weapon had to be made before they went too far.  So when Oppenheimer’s country in the form of General Leslie Groves ( Matt Damon) comes calling , a theory is about to be tested on if it can really happen or not. Soon, a team is put together of the top scientists in the country, leading to the creation of a town named Los Alamos, where those scientist and their families lived and worked until a finished product was made. History tells us what happens as the result, and with Oppenheimer , Nolan fills in the details during that monumental event. Nolan not only directs, but also co-wrote the script with Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin, delivering a compelling story about a man who is well aware of what he has unleashed onto mankind. They also deliver an intense experience that you will feel while watching. As this movie is a visual and audio treat that will at times push those senses into overdrive. Staying true to himself, Nolan doesn’t tell the story linearly, instead, he chooses to tell the story through three, some being frantic, chapters  in Oppenheimer’s life. The first two hours of the film, which concludes with Trinity mission, doesn’t really let you breathe as the story goes from one event to another without a respite mimicking the rush the scientists must of felt as they raced to win the war. When you add the score by Ludwig Göransson, you are getting a true cinematic experience that screams to be watched on the biggest screen possible.

                  With Oppenheimer, Nolan once again succeeds in delivering something that is both impressive and admirable and will spark many conversations. Although there are plenty of thrilling moments, like The Trinity mission’s conclusion, Oppenheimer is more a reflection on life choices and motivations  than a straight-up-thriller. It is also an incredible character study that almost perfectly wraps its head around our country’s greatest minds. Murphy is simply amazing as Oppenheimer, and while he shines, there is also plenty of other stars that do as well in the endless sky that is Oppenheimer. Joining Murphy in standout performances are Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauess, Emily Blunt as Kitty Oppenheimer and Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, but trust me when I say there is not a bad apple in this cast. Nolan proves that there are not many filmmakers like him today, and while Oppenheimer can be a little exhausting, but the payoff in the end makes everything more than worth it.