Website Review: huilahimovie.reviews/2023/07/29/oppenheimer-2023-movie-review/

Not many historical figures have overcome tragic events of bomb blast disasters like Robert Oppenheimer.

During WWII, the world-famous physicist designed a bomb that turned difficult dream of winning war against Nazis in a reality. Considered an effective weapon of mass destruction, the bomb earned the physicist worldwide recognition. Despite its pivotal role in assisting the wartime goal, however, the bomb pierced Oppenheimer's soul. He did not take pride in participating in a genocide where millions of individuals died. Questioning if he would live long enough to see himself turning into a two-faced villain, he regretted his invention. Nevertheless, he didn't let feeling guilty stop him from building a long-lasting legacy.

On a personal level, I find Oppenheimer's emotional reaction toward a bomb relatable. In 2003, I had the misfortune of going through tragic bomb blast with my family in a Middle Eastern country. Truth be told, I was only six years old when I endured a bomb blast putting my life on hold. I recall being in state of insomnia woken up during the middle of the night by my father to a bomb blast in Saudi Arabia. Supervised by terrorists seeking prestige, the incident put my family under siege. My family had only recently moved into the country with huge dreams of settling down permanently. Such plans were thrown somewhere over the rainbow when we faced a high-pressure scenario.

Against all odds stacked our favor, my family miraculously managed to survive an interstellar disaster. Through a sheer miracle, my family was able to survive the worst disaster imaginable. My parents' strong drive to survive allowed me to make it out without a scratch to the skin alive. After our house became disintegrated, my family made decisions to be evacuated out of the country. I marveled at how my family achieved a feat to beat a situation where the chances of survival were obsolete. I remember feeling relieved my family had achieved tasks of surviving a disaster which had to be seen to be believed.

However, the frightening fallout of the disaster stuck with me forever. Following the incident, I couldn't help ruminating on the memory of a tragedy that was devastating. In the wake of an incident which shook my life like an earthquake, I would spend several sleepless nights wide awake. Honestly, I was so shaken by the tragedy that I found it hard to talk openly about it with my family. On the brink of despair, the bomb blast would ring loudly in my ears haunting my nightmares for several years. Even when the survival story brought my household name fame, I regarded it as a source of shame.

Like Oppenheimer's guilt over involvement with a bomb that the world regarded as an achievement, the tragedy has become my main source of resentment. I relate deeply toward a historic figure whose guilt over an atomic bomb tragedy remains relatable after centuries. Almost 20 years after I faced bomb blast disasters, he is a heroic historical figure paving paths for me to recover.

Watching Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" only increased my high estimation of an icon whose emotional reaction toward a dangerous bomb deserves celebration. As explosive as the atomic bombs which haunt Oppenheimer in ways that are massive, it has motivated me to adopt a positive perspective toward life finding strong motive to live several years after a soul-crushing bomb blast which was destructive.