Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” challenges viewers’ acuity; the film is tedious and detailed. The movie lasts three hours, so viewers must activate their brains to in order to consume it.

Director, writer, and co-producer Christopher Nolan bases this intense biopic on Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s novel, “American Prometheus.” Nolan translates the novel into Oppenheimer, a film focusing on J. Robert Oppenheimer’s (Cillian Murphy) career, his discovery of the atomic bomb, and his eventual fall after his 1954 security hearing.

Using the contrast between shades and colors, Nolan introduces a nonlinear plot; scenes in full color explore Oppenheimer’s perspective of his life and work, and scenes in black and white are designed to provide objective accounts of his actions. Both types of scenes are dispersed throughout the film, and counterintuitively, the juxtaposition between the two types of scenes amalgamates to form the entire narrative of “Oppenheimer.”

Nolan characterizes Oppenheimer as a masculine and stoic figure who is always in control of himself, his projects, and the people around him. As the movie progresses, however, Oppenheimer’s control begins to fracture, leading to self-doubt and regret. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema flawlessly conveys this growing tension by filming scenes close-up to the actors’ faces, most notably in the movie’s latter half.

Coupled with van Hoytema’s cinematography, Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of Oppenheimer is vital to the film’s plot. Oppenheimer is a multi-faceted character, and Murphy can perfectly portray every single layer. During intense scenes, Murphy’s facial expressions make the viewer feel they are standing beside Dr. Oppenheimer.

In 2023, “Oppenheimer” was the third highest-grossing film in the world, netting 953.8 million USD. “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”  shared the release date of July 21, 2023, encouraging viewers to watch both films as a double feature. As the cultural phenomenon “Barbenheimer” flooded theaters, it is essential to note that the pair of movies rank among 2023’s highest-grossing films and hold the fourth-largest opening weekend in American history. Although there is no direct connection between “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” the success of both films reflects an audience’s yearning for answers to unsolvable questions about human nature.

Although “Oppenheimer” is groundbreaking in many aspects, the film falls short in it’s audio editing. Overall, the film’s score fits the messages conveyed in different scenes, but the background music is frequently loud compared to the dialogue. The background music grew louder as the tension grew, yet sometimes, it was hard to hear what the characters were saying in some of the most crucial parts of the film. Additionally, Nolan’s typical direction involves action-packed movies such as “Interstellar” and “The Dark Knight Rises,” so the lack of action in “Oppenheimer” could shock viewers seeking a classic Christopher Nolan film. However, it is essential to note that this film is a biopic (biographical film) that follows Oppenheimer’s life and not necessarily the action-packed battles occurring in World War II.

Overall, “Oppenheimer” was nominated for 13 Oscars. Murphy was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Robert Downey Jr. (Lewis Strauss) was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Emily Blunt (Kitty Oppenheimer) was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Eight members of Oppenheimer’s film crew were nominated for an Oscar. Most notably, Hoyte van Hoytema was nominated for Best Cinematography, and Christopher Nolan was nominated for Best Director (IMDb). Be sure to tune in to the 2024 Oscar Awards on March 10th at 6:00 pm CDT.

Viewers looking for a longer, intense watch will enjoy watching “Oppenheimer.” The film is rated R and contains adult material, so viewers under seventeen will need parental accompaniment to view it in the theater.

Rating: ★★★★★