I had anticipated a more straightforward, character-driven study of the man who helped to develop the atomic bomb, but instead, I was met with a 3-hour long summer blockbuster and a possibility of hearing loss.
Thinking about this, I feel guilty for not understanding Nolan's summer films since I've seen all of them except Memento. Now it is clearer that this (Oppenheimer) is exactly what I should've expected, but for some reason, I didn't.
So now, understanding that I went to see it with a wrong impression or a misunderstanding of the director's style, I'll give my two cents on this one.
The film's editing was particularly problematic. The director is known for his use of quick cuts and jarring transitions, but in Oppenheimer, this style felt overused and gratuitous. The film's many plot threads were constantly being cut away from, making it difficult to follow the narrative up until the very end. Not much complaining can be done after Tenet and Dunkirk, but again, I expected something different for a bio-drama.
The sound mixing was also poor, with the dialogue often being drowned out by the music. This was especially frustrating during the film's tensest moments when I was desperate to hear what the characters were saying. Again, this was my IMAX experience. Maybe yours will be different.
Another problem is that there's just too much story. Oppenheimer wasn't a short film by no means, the creators wanted to make a deep dive into the political and historical background of some of the major characters, and there were so many of them. I don't think making this a solo film was a good idea, but a Chornobyl-style mini-series - would've worked great. They had so many good actors, but they were forced to fly through the scenes on an airplane bomber since they were limited by the runtime.
Despite these flaws, there were many redeeming qualities to Oppenheimer. The film's performances were all excellent, much so I cannot single out a particular one. The film's visuals were also stunning, with Nolan's trademark use of IMAX cinematography creating some truly awe-inspiring images. The soundtrack was plain gorgeous, and very memorable. Too bad that it was mixed into scenes where it shouldn't have been, and it also had some weird cuts, almost like clipping, ruining the tone. Like it was artificially cloned and stretched. Maybe I'm making this up.
Ultimately, Oppenheimer is a film that is both ambitious and flawed. It is a film that attempts to grapple with the weighty subject matter of the atomic bomb, but it ultimately fails to do so satisfyingly for me. I would recommend watching the film at home, where you can adjust the volume and take breaks as needed.
P. S. I also want to thank the creators for finally giving me an understanding of what to expect, and saving me from later disappointments.
Thinking about this, I feel guilty for not understanding Nolan's summer films since I've seen all of them except Memento. Now it is clearer that this (Oppenheimer) is exactly what I should've expected, but for some reason, I didn't.
So now, understanding that I went to see it with a wrong impression or a misunderstanding of the director's style, I'll give my two cents on this one.
The film's editing was particularly problematic. The director is known for his use of quick cuts and jarring transitions, but in Oppenheimer, this style felt overused and gratuitous. The film's many plot threads were constantly being cut away from, making it difficult to follow the narrative up until the very end. Not much complaining can be done after Tenet and Dunkirk, but again, I expected something different for a bio-drama.
The sound mixing was also poor, with the dialogue often being drowned out by the music. This was especially frustrating during the film's tensest moments when I was desperate to hear what the characters were saying. Again, this was my IMAX experience. Maybe yours will be different.
Another problem is that there's just too much story. Oppenheimer wasn't a short film by no means, the creators wanted to make a deep dive into the political and historical background of some of the major characters, and there were so many of them. I don't think making this a solo film was a good idea, but a Chornobyl-style mini-series - would've worked great. They had so many good actors, but they were forced to fly through the scenes on an airplane bomber since they were limited by the runtime.
Despite these flaws, there were many redeeming qualities to Oppenheimer. The film's performances were all excellent, much so I cannot single out a particular one. The film's visuals were also stunning, with Nolan's trademark use of IMAX cinematography creating some truly awe-inspiring images. The soundtrack was plain gorgeous, and very memorable. Too bad that it was mixed into scenes where it shouldn't have been, and it also had some weird cuts, almost like clipping, ruining the tone. Like it was artificially cloned and stretched. Maybe I'm making this up.
Ultimately, Oppenheimer is a film that is both ambitious and flawed. It is a film that attempts to grapple with the weighty subject matter of the atomic bomb, but it ultimately fails to do so satisfyingly for me. I would recommend watching the film at home, where you can adjust the volume and take breaks as needed.
P. S. I also want to thank the creators for finally giving me an understanding of what to expect, and saving me from later disappointments.