Callum Richardson’s review published on Letterboxd:
Alright, this is going to be a long one- so sit tight buckle up and get ready for a special, ultra long review. This review is going to be so long that I feel I’ll have to mentally section off each paragraph to organize it more clearly
Side note: During my viewing (in IMAX/Odeon), there was a butterfly on the screen, before a fly flew in front of the projector, which is a little bit of an inconvenience considering it happened TWICE
On my way to Oppenheimer I was so unbelievably hyped up. I had been waiting months for Nolan’s new Biopic, centered around Oppenheimer and his role in the creation of the Atomic Bomb. Before the viewing started I was so excited, like, Endgame level of excitement- and this film really delivered
Firstly, the cast was insanely stacked with some sensational performances, especially from the talented Cillian Murphy, who definitely deserves best actor at the academy awards. Same with Robert Downey Jr, who was also fantastic, along with Matt Damon, and even the other supporting cast members- every scene change there was another actor who I recognized from something else, on that front it was incredible
Another reason for hype around this film and some of my personal favorite features were the score, sound effects, cinematography and the whole way it was shot. Shot with a 70mm IMAX camera, and the first film to be shot in black and white for IMAX, this is a severe must watch for cinematography buffs. It’s also a huge must-watch among cinema fans too, as this has definitely left it’s mark in film history.
Now, the sounds. I thought people were joking about the loud noises, but my seat was rattling, the whole cinema was shaking, and the effects were earth shattering. That explosion is one of my favorite scenes in recent years, and it gave me a huge shock when the loud noises kicked in. The fact that it was silent for so long beforehand was so masterful, and I thought was an incredible achievement to Christopher Nolan. Speaking of Nolan, Nolan fanboys and film fanatics will be really impressed, because our man has done it again
I can understand why some wouldn’t like this movie, because let’s be real, it definitely isn’t for everyone, but to my expectations it delivered perfectly and was one of my favorite film watching experiences ever. I also thought there should’ve been more Florence Pugh as the scenes she was in she performed incredibly and her dynamic with Murphy was brilliant.
The ending was also incredible, and I absolutely loved the abrupt cuts between certain scenes, I thought this film was also seriously intense, partly because of that, which made it even greater. From a filmmaking standpoint, this is definitely a future classic that will be admired by filmmakers in future years.
One of my only problems was the pacing- it wasn’t the worst but I didn’t think it was perfect either. I also loved how they made some characters so hate-able, like RDJ, he was awful towards the end
If Murphy doesn’t get that Oscar the next Oscar’s will be terrible, Oppenheimer is by far my favorite film of 2023 and I really enjoyed it. I doubt anything will top it this year, and despite a few small flaws this film also has many incredible feats that payed up for it.
“I am become death, destroyer of worlds”
-J Robert Oppenheimer
(I also loved how he said that twice during the film, Murphy delivers his lines awesomely)
#32 in Films
#7 in July
#1 in 2023
