- Christopher Nolan, whose previous works use time and space as his playground, did it once again with this based on a true story film, something that we didn't expect. His way of storytelling proves that he's the greatest directors to ever live on the planet, mastering in building up the story all the while keeping the audience engaged by elevating its suspense, scope, atmosphere and music tempos, creating a masterpiece ouevre.
- Oppenheimer is a visceral experience. It is able to create and provoke tension and anxiety in their audience. Rarely do we ever get this type of films offering this kind of experience but Nolan did it, just like Interstellar or Inception. It is haunting. It is moving. It is evocative. It knows what it tries to deliver and it does so well in eliciting these emotions as you sit and witness through it all.
- Out of the 2 dozens of famous actors in this film, we have to give special shout outs to 4 of them namely Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. & Jason Clarke. Cillian Murphy is able to tell Oppenheimer's story largely from the looks and expressions of his face, a true work of art. His face just tells everything, like a grandeur painting that moves accordingly to the beat of the story and emotions. Emily Blunt as Mrs Oppenheimer is just impeccable. Her performance is so good, there was once scene that made us cried a bit. That 'it' scene that will appear on the screen as her name is called as one of the nominees for Best Supporting Actress and hell yes, we have high hope she will win next year's Academy Awards for this! Downey and Clarke are both impressive as well, 2 characters that are very good at spoken dialogues and they really did their homework to study the characters very well.
- We are truly in love with the dialogues. It is rich with contexts and it feels very densed. We just love the fact that the speed and pacing of the dialogues are almost similar to Aaron Sorkin's materials who directed The Social Network and Molly's Game. Dialogues are spoken incessantly, word after word, without putting a full stop for audience to breathe. And these dialogues really enrich and enhance the film's build-up, settings and mood that elevate the whole immersive experience.
- These dialogues, most of them, are necessary for the story and character developments. What are or have been said are the building blocks of both these elements, that by the end, they blossom themselves into something poetically but shatteringly beautiful; acknowledging of the broken humans living in a broken world, that these non-fiction characters are far from perfect, just like the rest of us.
- However, the dialogues may not be easily digestible for general audiences. If you're into science and history, you are at an advantage. If not, then these jargons and sometimes, poetic style dialogues would make your head spin. They are not friendly. Even when they did explain on quantum physics, it wasn't something that can be understood by everyone. We love the dialogues but to be safe, prepare a cup of coffee prior because this is one brain exercise film, the good kind, of course.
- If you're a Nolan fan, you'd know that plot twists are something he has in store for us. But did this biopic has one? Did Nolan take that risk? The risk that might jeopardize the authenticity of the story? Without revealing, we can say that the third act is very, very good. Something that most directors attempted but failed. However, Nolan did it naturally, the story unfolds excellently even with all the complexity that surrounds it. He did it smooth. Strong emotions were evoked, he left us something to ponder about. The experience was quite traumatic and he brought us along the journey to experience what it's like to be Oppenheimer. It is that good.
- This film is morally complex. It questions whether it's right or wrong. It questions whose side we are on. It delves deep and studies Mr. Oppenheimer and brings it along with us for the ride. Nolan was able to let us feel what he's feeling as if we're stepping in his shoes. Thought-provoking. Mind-wandering. Psychologists will have a great time in cinemas.
- A brilliant choice, Oppenheimer used both black-and-white and colour as it conveys different meanings with the former staying true to the real event that had happened in history with (mostly) exact dialogues, body language and circumstances powerfully acted mostly by Robert Downey and Alden Ehrenreich. The latter is used, to maximize its entertainment value while still maintains the actual events recorded in history. Not once we felt annoyed by the transition, it went well.
- Targeted for mass market, we felt this could have cut about 20-30 minutes short so that all audiences can enjoy. Although there was very little to none unnecessary scenes, we still strongly believe that Nolan could take out a few scenes. If this happened, the momentum and pacing would better for everyone. Also, the Trinity Test was purely excellent. The practical effects and sound designs were really executed well. The music score, composed by Ludwig Goransson, though not as masterpiece as Hans Zimmer, is breathtaking. It felt right with all the scenes, it elevates out immersive experience, it left us at the edge of our seats.
Verdict: Hauntingly beautiful, Oppenheimer feels like a ticking time bomb as it evokes a strong visceral and immersive experience. Almost everything is done right, Christopher Nolan makes sure this film blows us away with a rich story, stark character studies, strong dialogues, powerful music score, impeccable acting amongst many others. While it is not Christopher Nolan's magnum opus, this is still one of his best ouevre in history.