Oppenheimer (2023) Review

This week has seen one of the craziest times for cinema with the release of both Barbie and this film Oppenheimer. Hopefully, this gives cinema the shot in the arm that it needs and truly provides some great cinema. I have seen Oppenheimer and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film examines the life of Robert Oppenheimer, the man who was behind the development of the atomic bomb. 

Main Character

Cillian Murphy and director Christopher Nolan have been linked for many years and it is finally time for him to be the lead performance as Oppenheimer and he is incredible. This is easily one of the best performances of 2023 and I guarantee that he will be getting an Oscar nomination for this performance. He depicts the role perfectly, he is arrogant but so intelligent, you can tell he is the smartest person in the room and this is amazing to see. Murphy shows different sides to this amazing person and this is a role of a lifetime for him and I am glad that we get the chance to see it. 

Supporting Characters

Emily Blunt plays his wife Kitty Oppenheimer and she is great in this role. She has one scene in particular where she owns the screen and makes you watch and pay attention to her. She is a strong character and the chemistry between her and Murphy is really good. 

Matt Damon plays General Leslie Groves and I really liked his character. You see the difference between himself and Oppenheimer but also that given everything that is required that they can work together. He oozed charisma and added some bit of humour which just made this film even better. 

It is great seeing Robert Downey Jnr in a film that isn't made by Marvel Studios and I swear he is also going to be up for an Oscar nomination for his role as Lewis Strauss. He is in a unique part of the film but delivers a masterful performance and sees how his character is affected by the actions of other characters and how he is losing grip on his lifestyle. 

Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock is a smaller role in the film but also a really effective role. She is a strong part of the film and I thought she was pretty powerful in all the scenes that she is in and this is another really solid performance for her young career. 

This film is full of well known actors in smaller roles with my favourites being Jason Clark, Josh Hartnett & Alden Ehrenreich who do really great jobs and maximise the ability with the small amount of minutes that they get. 

Story 

The story is fascinating, it examines different times of Oppenheimers life and how it affects not just himself but the other people around him. There is a lot going on here and the film doesn't really hold back on trying to tell you as much as possible but it really works because of how the story is moulded and performed. I knew very little about Oppenheimer before the film but I am now super interested about him and the life that he led. 

Script

This film is expertly written. It is very serious due to the subject matter and it doesn't dumb the film down and shows us all the science that is involved in the film. The film has slithers of dark humour in this as well, especially through Damon's performance and that really balances the film well and kept me engaged. 

Style

The film looks incredible. The cinematography and showing how the bomb can truly affect anything is mesmerising. Christopher Nolan has become such a pivotal and amazing director that the way he makes this film feels like a crucial part of the film. The score by Ludwig Goransson is incredible and adds so much to every scene making it feel like this who amazing experience. The film may be 3 hours but I was never bored here and I thought every scene added something to the film and that is as great as it is. 

Overall

Overall, Oppenheimer is one of the best films of the year and will be truly remembered. We have been treated to a true cinematic experience and should be experienced on the big screen and I hope people see this film because of the hard work put in by everybody involved. 

Rating - 10/10