Oppenheimer

By Joshua Xiang

"Oppenheimer marks another engrossing achievement from Christopher Nolan that benefits from Murphy's tour-de-force performance and stunning visuals." (critic consensus, Rotten Tomatoes)

Before going in-depth into the film, it's essential to pay tribute to Cillian Murphy's extraordinary performance in this cinematic masterpiece. He ignited the screen with a profoundly captivating and personal interpretation, and his visage became a portal into another realm. It is undeniably the most compelling display of talent in all of Nolan's films, a profound testament to Murphy's unwavering dedication to his craft. Allow me to confidently say that he will win the Oscar for Best Actor of the Year.

"Oppenheimer" stands as a captivating masterpiece, skillfully weaving an attractive tale of science, ambition, and the essence of humanity, solidifying Nolan's position as one of the most visionary filmmakers of our era.

Right from its opening scene, Nolan's distinctive storytelling style takes a firm grip, entrancing the audience with a mesmerizing fusion of historical accuracy and mind-bending fiction. He shows that the kind of hyper, jacked-up, ultramodern filmmaking associated with the action and superhero genres can be harnessed in the service of an innovative, serious movie. The narrative gracefully revolves around the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant physicist whose pivotal role in developing the atomic bomb during World War II cannot be underestimated. With artful precision, Nolan delves into the intricate layers of Oppenheimer's character, unearthing the profound moral dilemmas and internal struggles this eminent scientific mind faces.

Nolan's unparalleled skill at creating visceral cinematic experiences is one of his most respected abilities. "Oppenheimer" is no exception, immersing viewers in a world where science and art collide. Cinematography by the talented Hoyte van Hoytema (the director of photography for Oppenheimer) transports viewers into the 1940s with its impeccable attention to detail and stunning visual spectacle.

Just to add to the point of the stunning visual effect that the movie creates for us, in this movie, we get the chance to experience the whole story with the uncommon use of film stock shooting. This notable issue was brought up to the audience because Nolan decided the best way to portray the difference between the development and testing of the bomb and Oppenheimer's 1954 closed-door security hearings would be using color film stock for Oppenheimer's perspective and black-and-white film stock for Strauss' perspective.

Shooting in IMAX 65mm, Nolan says in the press notes for Oppenheimer that because of the technicalities of the large-format photography and the perspective choices, the rest of the film's aesthetics would otherwise be straightforward. “No barrier between the world of the film and the audience, no obvious stylization other than the black-and-white sequences," he says of their approach. "But particularly with the color sequences, we wanted very unadorned, simple photography, as natural as possible, revealing many textures worldwide." It's a choice meant to imply the boundless qualities of the scientist's brilliant mind, as expressed with the surreal inserts of quantum theory particles in his imagination and the day-to-day efforts of building the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos.

In summary, "Oppenheimer" is a breathtaking masterpiece that skillfully combines the elements of action, audio, acting, direction, and scene design into an unforgettable cinematic experience. The movie takes audiences on an electrifying journey that weaves together heart-pounding action sequences, immersive audio design, exceptional performances, stunning visuals, and meticulous direction.