Oppenheimer – Review

Cert – 15, Run-time – 3 hours, Director – Christopher Nolan

Whilst being questioned in a closed hearing about his links to communism, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) reflects on his leadership of the creation of the atomic bomb.

As the atomic bomb is tested for the first time, the uncertainty as to whether it will actually work growing – “the chances are near zero” – Christopher Nolan snaps from a suspenseful drama into a horror film. The scare factor has already been rising for over two hours as the inevitable countdown nears. Ludwig Göransson’s excellent score is a ticking clock not signifying the Nazi threat in the race to build the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, it’s a constantly arriving second closer to doomsday. “This isn’t a new weapon, it’s a new world” Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is told about just what he’s making.

Yet, he’s propelled to continue. Whether by personal fascination at the science, the want for the US to win World War II or something else he makes sure that he – and his team, as best as he can – sticks to the job. Murphy’s performance is one of an intelligent and ambitious character, one who is becoming increasingly haunted as he becomes more and more aware of the potential of what he’s creating. It’s a stunning performance dominating almost every scene of the film.

Much of the story is told through flashbacks as Oppenheimer is being questioned as part of a closed hearing about his past links to communism. The odds are stacked against him in an unfair trial intercut with black and white footage of Robert Downey Jr’s effectively restrained performance as US Atomic Energy commissioner Lewis Strauss, going through a Senate hearing in the hopes of becoming Secretary of Commerce. The back-and-forth between the two reflects the montage-like editing of a number of sequences throughout the film. There’s a lot to get through and Nolan, while covering plenty of key details within Oppenheimer’s life, makes it clear that he’s not making a complete biopic – the majority of the film is concerned with the increasingly suspenseful creation of the atomic bomb, becoming fidget-inducingly tense as everything is put together ready for the day of detonation.

“You don’t get to commit sin and then have us feel sorry for your consequences” Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty (Emily Blunt) tells him after finding out about his affair with Florence Pugh’s Jean Tatlock. Throughout Nolan never tries to create sympathy for the titular figure, instead delivering a straight-faced depiction of events of a man increasingly questioning the moral nature of what he’s doing, and indeed what he’s done. While there’s plenty of interest in his perspective the true connection is with the events. The fear, anxiety and tension which they create. Yes, we know the big explosion is coming (and it’s undeniably a strong, cinematic moment with a punching effect of both wonderment and terror) but there’s still a hint of worry that it might go wrong, perhaps it’s an effect of knowing how it will echo to today.

The explosion has plenty of impact, but it’s helped by the technical aspects of the film. As mentioned Ludwig Göransson’s score is fantastic in working hand-in-hand with the film, meticulously tailored to each moment. It matches the attention to detail in the overall sound design drawing you directly into the world, and as things progress into Oppenheimer’s worry and regret – having already been plagued from his university days with visions of the atomic world burning and splitting. When paired with the production design, and Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography, there’s a strong visual nature to the film pushing the atmospheric style which keeps you engaged in the rising dramas – particularly in the shift of the final 40 minutes as the post-bomb events play out.

It may take some time to get used to the new focus which has been glimpsed in bits and pieces prior to this, however it’s not long until the grip of the not-quite-courtroom drama has you fully engaged again. Again, Nolan hasn’t made a direct biopic here, but a film of fear and consequences, and his best to date. A tense, scary and consistently engaging portrait of a man haunted by the events of his life. None more so than becoming death, destroyer of worlds. And how do you reverse that when what you’ve fathered grows and spreads?

The atmospheric design of Oppenheimer is fuel for fear and tension as a two-hour-plus ticking clock counts down to the punch of the atomic bombs detonation. Cillian Murphy is stunning in the increasingly haunted lead role, pushing the grip of the latter consequences and developments in Christopher Nolan’s best film to date.