Oppenheimer (2023)

So not long ago I went to see Oppenheimer.  I confess I did not see it in the biggest screen as all the advertisements and reviews said you should see it.  I did not feel that I missed anything, and I enjoyed the film just as it was.  Is it an interesting film about the man?  I think so, and it made me look up actual interviews of Oppenheimer that they did while he was alive.

Did I think it the story was dramatized?  Yes, big time.  At 3 hours the film is a tour de force in patience, and a bit in dramatic license, yet I enjoyed the film and was thoroughly interested in the man and that made me seek out articles & interviews about the man.

The film is smartly directed by Christopher Nolan who is a a decent director, and knows how to direct actors.  Cillian Murphy is exceptional, and should get nominated for a his performance, as well as the supporting actors in the film such as Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey.  Even Gary Oldman puts in an appearance as President Truman.  I'm sure all wanted to work with Nolan and his direction is exceptional.  The cinematography is also fabulous, and I noticed that even without seeing it in 70mm.  I'm sure for us cinephile's it's fabulous, but I did not get to see it in IMAX because by the time I wanted to see it or get a chance to see it it was already only in select IMAX theaters and I think it's all gone by now.  Again no big loss, and I'm sure I'll get flack for it, but really how many times do you want to see the landscape of the desert where the bomb was built.  Supposedly the film was shot partially at Los Alamos, but most of it was shot in  & around New Mexico including Santa Fe.  

If you're interested in the man, and are a bit of a history buff it's a good film to see, and in Christopher Nolan's hands it is a spectacle, but I believe the studio marketing which linked both Oppenheimer and the Barbie movie was successful and drove audiences to the theaters.  It's a unique way to do it, and it certainly pulled in audience's.  

But Oppenheimer is a good film, but one that will fade, or I believe it will.  Barbie on the other hand will be shown on cable forever & still rake in money in perpetuity for the studio while Oppenheimer will be maybe an Oscar winning film that will be revived and maybe some day they'll do an extended cut (God forbid).  But who knows.

So if you want to see a solid film, and have the patience in seeing an arrogant, womanizing, genius who helped rush in the Atomic age I'd say enjoy.  I saw it with my son and he and I are history buffs and enjoyed it.  Their is nudity in the film hence the R rating, but it neither offended me, or did I think it was gratuitous.  It was an interesting how Nolan works it in, and why he works it in.  It did show the contradictions of Oppenheimer behavior and his complex character.  Hence the overdramatized comment earlier, yet it's a good film.

Good performances, well directed, and stunning to look at.  Also it brings to light the complexities the bomb had on mankind, and how we are still dealing with it even today.