The story of Robert Oppenheimer is a tragic but compelling story, one that has implications to this day. It was a film I had been waiting to see for some time. The tale of J. Robert Oppenheimer has weighed heavy on my mind since watching the superlative documentary, The Day After Trinity, which hit me in the solar plexus since first seeing it years ago. Christopher Nolan has done a good job as in every movie he has made. Nolan's Oppenheimer is chock full of great Oscar-bait performances. The interpretation by Cillian Murphy in the lead role in Oppenheimer is positively ungodly and matches the desperation (but not the profound sadness) of Oppenheimer's psyche. Matt Damen correctly conveys the steely cold-heartedness of Leslie Groves. The rest of the actors are excellent, all which justify repeated watchings.
As good as the movie is, it is not without its faults. I suspect someone first encountering the Oppenheimer story will not fully understand how completely conflicted were many of the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project. The only ones completely on board to build the nuclear bomb in the beginning were Leslie Groves and for different reasons, Oppenheimer himself. The divided feelings experienced by many of the scientists are touched on in the movie, but not emphasized. Some of the scientists who worked on the Project remained severely depressed for years afterward. Especially Oppenheimer himself. When he passed away in 1967, he was so overcome by dread that he was a shell of his former self.
This is, however, a movie, and not a documentary. Fair enough. However, I found the many many edits in the movie distracting. The camera rarely focused on one scene more than ten, fifteen, or thirty seconds before panning to another angle or another scene. The movie ran like a video game. It was as if Nolan was trying to tell too much of the story in his movie. After the movie ended I was utterly exhausted by all the cuts and edits. ... But then again, perhaps this is the feeling Nolan wanted the viewer to experience.
Despite these minor complaints, Oppenheimer is a movie which deserves to be watched.
As good as the movie is, it is not without its faults. I suspect someone first encountering the Oppenheimer story will not fully understand how completely conflicted were many of the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project. The only ones completely on board to build the nuclear bomb in the beginning were Leslie Groves and for different reasons, Oppenheimer himself. The divided feelings experienced by many of the scientists are touched on in the movie, but not emphasized. Some of the scientists who worked on the Project remained severely depressed for years afterward. Especially Oppenheimer himself. When he passed away in 1967, he was so overcome by dread that he was a shell of his former self.
This is, however, a movie, and not a documentary. Fair enough. However, I found the many many edits in the movie distracting. The camera rarely focused on one scene more than ten, fifteen, or thirty seconds before panning to another angle or another scene. The movie ran like a video game. It was as if Nolan was trying to tell too much of the story in his movie. After the movie ended I was utterly exhausted by all the cuts and edits. ... But then again, perhaps this is the feeling Nolan wanted the viewer to experience.
Despite these minor complaints, Oppenheimer is a movie which deserves to be watched.
