Review of OPPENHEIMER: Prometheus Physicist

July 18, 2023

J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cilian Murphy) was a renowned theoretical physicist who was credited for bringing quantum mechanics from Europe to America. He rubbed elbows with renowned, Nobel-winning scientists of that time -- Albert Einstein (Tom Conti), Niels Bohr (Kenneth Branagh), Werner Heisenberg (Matthias Schweighöfer), Ernest Lawrence (Josh Hartnett), Enrico Fermi (Danny Deferrari) and Edward Teller (Benny Safdie).

In 1942, Oppenheimer was chosen by Col. Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) to head the Manhattan Project, develop atomic bombs in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and finish them in time to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to effectively end the war and secure American victory. Oppenheimer was celebrated as a hero, and was then offered directorship of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton by Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.). 

Oppenheimer's main claim to historical immortality was of course the main story of this massive cinematic masterpiece. Also weaved in were Oppenheimer's relationships with his girlfriend Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) and his wife Kitty Harrison (Emily Blunt), Oppenheimer's controversial politics and the aftermath of the bomb on his conscience. This is a whole different level of cinema, 180 intense minutes that grips you all the way.

Being a Christopher Nolan work, this was far from a typical biopic. So like other Nolan films, the audience needs to pay close attention because every little detail -- words, images, color, sounds -- mattered. It had multiple characters (scientists, communists, military men, lawyers, and politicians) in events which were not told in chronological order.  For those who do not know the history, there was even a twist that Nolan springs on the 11th hour.

As early as now, this film's Oscar prospects include Best Picture, Director, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, as well as for a slew of technical categories -- Cinematography (Hoyte Van Hoytema), Film Editing (Jennifer Lame), Musical Score (Ludwig Goransson) and Sound Design. Downey, Damon, Pugh and Blunt also stand a good chance to nab Supporting nominations. Calling it, Christopher Nolan will finally win his first Oscar. 10/10.