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Written by H.E. Smale
I loved the film, even though I didn't understand much of what was going on. But still found it very entertaining and will definitely be getting the DVD to enjoy it again and again! I do want to do one or two more posts on Oppenheimer (my favourite scenes and comparing it to a film I thought was similar - The Imitation Game). But I wanted to keep this review spoiler-free in case anyone hasn't seen it yet and wants to (and if you haven't I recommend you do!)
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From the director of Interstellar, Inception, Tennant, Dunkirk, and The Dark Knight trilogy, Christopher Nolan's new release Oppenheimer follows the work of theoretical Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his journey towards the creation of the world's first Atomic Bomb and the events surrounding its outcome.
I was eager to see this film since I had viewed the trailer a few months prior. However, I was unfamiliar with much of Nolan's work and was still determining what to expect from the film. I had seen an initial trailer to introduce the film, but I managed to steer clear of trailers, reviews, and online media attention. I wanted my palate to be as clean as possible for when I watched it.
Firstly, I want to start with what I loved about this film.
Visually, this film is stunning. The effects used to bring to life the abstract and shapeless forms of quantum physics are nothing short of mesmerizing and hypnotic and all done practically. Vibrating waves, exploding particles, clouds of fire - all these shots help to not only entrance the viewers but bring us into the mind of Oppenheimer and his state of growing anxiety, and build tension towards the creation of the bomb - a threat growing more powerful and restless.
Moreover, the musical score throughout the film, composed by Ludwig Göransson, is transportive. It portrays, so powerfully, the emotions of wonder, fear, danger and loss. Especially in a cinema environment, you can feel the score pulsing and reverberating through your body in waves, not dissimilar to the ones occasionally shown on screen.
I work in a cinema and have heard and felt the music when I walk down the corridor. This score is like nothing I have ever heard before and an experience in and of itself, rather than identifying as another accompanying element of the film. Combined with the visuals and substance in the scenes, it only elevates the film.
The main negative I had with this film comes solely from my lack of knowledge of The Manhattan Project and the events involving Oppenheimer. I had never been taught about it in school (aside from the events of Hishorisma), and it has never been a subject that has gripped my attention and spurred me to educate myself on it in my spare time. Therefore, when it came to the film jumping in and out of situations occurring at different moments in time with characters I was unfamiliar with I was left feeling confused and lost.
The overall story being told is done out of sequence, jumping from different moments in time from before, during, and after the creation of the bomb. If you aren't familiar with the subject matter, it is considerably more challenging to comprehend what is going on. However, during the last third of the film, when the events were starting to become more linear, it was easier to piece it all together and make sense of what was happening.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the film and I think I will enjoy it more over time with multiple watches as it becomes easier to digest what is happening. If you haven't already seen it, I do recommend it. Many might have the impression that it's a dark film about the creation of the bomb that brought suffering to thousands of people. But the creation of the bomb is only a small part of the story. What it focuses on is Oppenheimer. Delving into his experience after the bombing, and coming to terms with what he has created, and the door he had opened into the future of atomic weaponry.
This film is so much more than just a film. As Emily Blunt (who portrays Kitty Oppenheimer) described for Screen Bites "This is not a film, this is an experience", and one that I think if you get the chance to be a part of (especially in IMAX if that is an option for you), you should go and see it.
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