SEA Wave reviews “Oppenheimer”, the J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt.
From pieces like Memento to Batman Begins to Interstellar and Dunkirk, director Christopher Nolan never seems to surprise his audience with his stunning works. But all of them have been fiction until “Oppenheimer” came and fused real-life stories with his signature style.
The movie tackles not only J. Robert Oppenheimer’s (Cillian Murphy) creation of the atomic bomb but also dives deep into the relationships of the people involved in the project. It takes a magnifying lens into the life of Oppenheimer himself and why his invention changed the way people perceived danger today.
Peak Cinematography
If you know Nolan, the effects he uses are mostly practical, with little to no CGI. The movie begs you to watch it in the cinema where you experience surround sound paired with an immersive visual dive into what the people themselves experience whether it be a psychological breakdown, a physics concept, or the room setting.
Costume Design is on Point
Left: Lewis Strauss | Right: Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss
When you search for each of the real-life people portrayed in the movie, their likeness is embodied by each of the actors and actresses. Cillian Murphy lost weight to truly portray Oppenheimer while Robert Downey Jr. sported the hairstyle of Lewis Strauss during the whole fiasco.
Real Life Dynamics
Left to Right: Lewis Strauss, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Jane Tatlock, Leslie Groves
The movie not only dramatizes the Manhattan Project in the making, but an in-depth look at the dynamics of the people in Oppenheimer’s life. From his relationship with Jane Tatlock and Kitty Oppenheimer to his rival Lewis Strauss and other colleagues, we see them; warts and all.
Morality and Consequences
Photo from Universal Pictures
“Oppenheimer” openly tackles the weight of the choices that each of the people involved prior to, during, and after the Manhattan Project.
Verdict
Overall, “Oppenheimer”, is a masterpiece of and statement piece because a dramatization of real-life events that continually impacts our world today. Did they really make the right choice in making the atomic bomb?
SEA Wave rates the movies 5 out of 5 waves.
“Oppenheimer” is now showing in cinemas by Universal Pictures.