★★★★½
Writer/Director Christopher Nolan (Tenet) teams up with newcomer Kai Bird, turning nuclear historian Martin Sherwin’s work into the epic 3-hour dramatic biopic Oppenheimer. Despite its length and controversial subject, moviegoers will likely leave the theater stunned by the exceptionally well-done film.
J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is a brilliant young physicist with no skills in the laboratory. But when his professor and Neils Bohr (Kenneth Branagh) suggest he turn his attention to theoretical physics, he finds his life calling. Working on cutting-edge nuclear physics, he is recruited by General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) to head the team as it races to build a nuclear bomb ahead of Nazi Germany so that the Allied forces can win the war. He creates a group of the most advanced physicists the United States has to offer who manage to pull off the feat without destroying the atmosphere in the process. But after winning that frenzied race, forces in the government turn against him, and he is faced with a battle for his career and legacy.
Nolan and Bird treat Sherwin’s subject with care, showing facets of Oppenheimer’s life that reach well beyond his well-known achievement. Instead of focusing on the bomb, they focus on the man, including the forces that worked for him and the many that were set against him after the war. In doing so, they humanize an otherwise titanic figure. The story isn’t specifically linear, although fans of Nolan are unlikely to expect that in the first place. Instead, he goes back and forth in time in a manner that is easy to follow, as the events discussed in the present of the film often match with the flashbacks. The ease with which this script works is matched by the skill of every actor, led by Murphy, and brought across the finish line by one of Robert Downey, Jr.’s finest performances of his career. In a cast full of exceptional performances, Downey stands on the shoulders of giants.
The script and acting are supported by equally phenomenal camera work. The use of light, shadow, and nearly perfect framing combine with transitions between black and white and color film that are often so subtle that it takes a moment to realize the film type has changed. Nolan’s use of IMAX 70mm format makes for stunning resolution and imagery throughout. Realistic-looking sets bring the audience into the period – whether through a nuclear testing ground or a crowded senate hearing. Weaving in and out of all this majesty is a soundtrack that drives home every moment of the film.
Oppenheimer may not be the tale of a nuclear race that some might expect, especially from Nolan. Instead, it delves into the life of a complex man, both before and after his famous creation. Every element of the movie combines in a fusion to create a magnificent film that will leave audiences blown away.
