Christopher Nolan Expands His Filmmaking Legacy With ‘Oppenheimer’ – Review

This review was published during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. Oppenheimer would not exist without the labour of its writers, director, actors, and the many departments integral to the filmmaking process. Learn more about the demands of actors and writers here.

“They won’t fear it…until they understand it.” –Oppenheimer

At a crucial point during World War II, a man knew he had to work on a project of an immense scale to bring the conflict to a close. What he never expected was the haunting effects of bringing so much death to thousands of people would do to his spirit, leaving him questioning the decisions he took and if the execution of the plan was the right way to go. Oppenheimer goes through the mind of the titular historical figure (Cillian Murphy) as he deals with the weight of what he has to do to earn his place in the narrative of one of the most relevant war-related facts the world has ever seen.

Set during the final years of World War II, Oppenheimer begins when J. Robert is merely a physics student at university. When his peers and professors alike discover how intelligent he is, the protagonist of the film travels around the world to learn more about the branch of science he has dedicated his life to. But he isn’t the only person on a deep quest for knowledge about how splitting the atom could result in constructing a lethal weapon of mass destruction. Oppenheimer is racing against time before other countries can build a bomb first.

(Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon | © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.)

Cillian Murphy does a masterful job of playing a man tortured by the consequences of his actions, as an optimistic Oppenheimer who wanted to do what’s right for the world realizes that his work might have doomed humanity in the long run. Through subtle thoughts passing between his eyes, sequences of intense stress and the confusion of a person who doesn’t think before acting, Murphy pours his soul into a career-defining performance. Empathizing with such a controversial figure could only be possible through acting as dedicated as the one seen in Christopher Nolan’s latest project.

Great performances can be found everywhere with the rest of the cast, with Emily Blunt shining with her portrayal of Katherine Oppenheimer. As the protagonist’s wife, Blunt brings fierceness, courage and resolution to a narrative where most people seem insecure about their convictions. As more than a lightning rod for her husband, Katherine defines where she stands at every chance she gets, and Blunt knows exactly how to convey the level of frustration a person close to the situation might’ve had.

Another standout from a stellar cast was Robert Downey Jr. portraying Lewis Strauss, a colleague and eventual rival to Murphy’s Oppenheimer. After more than a decade of focusing his career on his appearances throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Downey Jr. graciously plays a man who desires to ruin the reputation of someone who slightly disagrees with his opinions throughout the course of his career. Downey Jr.’s intensity in the role, showing Strauss at his most vulnerable and vengeful state, reminds audiences of the actor’s artistry when he’s not saving the world in computer-generated armour.

Three years after Tenet was released during the pandemic, Nolan is back in the director’s chair in the first feature he has helmed outside of Warner Bros. Pictures in years. As displayed in his previous work, Nolan likes to take his time cracking into the psyche of his tortured protagonist, expertly intertwining Oppenheimer’s personal struggle with how the outside world looks at him. The atomic bomb itself is never glorified in Oppenheimer, bringing the story’s moral dilemma to the centre stage.

With strong direction from Nolan, remarkable sound design by Richard King, and some of the best performance’s a cast from a Nolan movie has delivered, Oppenheimer triumphs in painting the muddled portrait of the man behind one of the most devastating weapons of mass destruction. Murphy gives the most focused acting of his career, positioning him as a major player in next year’s awards season. Nolan expands his filmmaking legacy with an honest observation of one of the most controversial figures in history. Blunt and Downey Jr. accompany the protagonist’s journey in a way that brings humanity and emotion to Nolan’s exploration of Oppenheimer’s self-hatred and guilt.