Chris 🇮🇪’s review published on Letterboxd:
Nolan's Magnum Opus?
In the hands of another director, dealing with such a horrific time in history, this story could have been self-indulgent or completely one-sided, but Nolan delivers a balanced take that never lets the audience believe they're watching the story of a misunderstood genius.
A complicated man? Sure, but never misunderstood.
Oppenheimer knew the repercussions of his actions & the film makes a point to show us his complicity leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki.
It is only after this abhorrent destruction that the weight of his actions takes hold, which Nolan terrifyingly conveys in anxiety-inducing sequences akin to a nightmare that leaves you feeling breathless.
Normally I find Nolan's sound design to be abrasive, where the balance between dialogue, SFX & score is off, leaving dialogue partially inaudible even on well-balanced professional sound systems. None of that is the case here.
The sound design is a character in & of itself. Never has silence felt so loud.
The nonlinear structure, edited by Nolan & Jennifer Lame, feels like a deliberate decision to put the audience in the mind of Oppenheimer as he contemplates his life. Past, present & future, all at once.
From a filming perspective, a film like this, comprised primarily of characters talking in a room must be a challenging role for even the most experienced of the cinematographers, & yet Hoyte van Hoytema was able to make these intimate & introspective moments feel cinematic. One of Hoytema's greatest strengths is his sense of scale, none more is this apparent than in the Trinity Test sequence.
His cinematography married with the sound design transforms the mushroom cloud into an otherworldly monster.
I am floored by Ludwig Göransson's score.
With a film like Oppenheimer, he could have taken the easy route & scored this film in a more traditional manner but instead, his ability to combine electronic elements with live instruments brings a unique & emotional soundscape that is sure to be imitated for years to come. There is no doubt in my mind he is the future of cinema.
While a star-studded affair, this is truly Cillian Murphy's film. His ability to convey so much with just a glance is masterful.
On the lighter side, Benny Safdie's eccentric approach to his role as Edward Teller helped add a much-needed sense of levity to the film.
To see a 3-hour dialogue heavy film break theater records in 2023 is beautiful.
During 2024's award season, this film will be the number 1 contender for every award & rightfully so.
It's probably too early to call it, but I genuinely feel like Oppenheimer is the greatest work of Christopher Nolan's illustrious career.
