Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer is a 2023 biographical and historical drama film, directed by Christopher Nolan, which chronicles the life and works of American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy, considered the father of the atomic bomb. The film focuses on the period of World War II, when Oppenheimer was the scientific director of the Manhattan Project, the secret program that led to the construction and dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

 The film is the longest of Nolan's career, running for three hours, and boasts an all-star cast that includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh and many more. The film was released by Universal Pictures, following Nolan's break with Warner Bros., which had produced his previous films.

 My opinion of the film is very positive. The film is an ambitious and engaging work, which manages to balance the biographical narrative with the historical one, without neglecting the scientific, political and ethical aspects of the story. Nolan once again demonstrates his mastery of direction, screenplay and choice of technical and artistic collaborators. Hoyte van Hoytema's photography is suggestive and varied, going from black and white to color according to the times and places. Ludwig Göransson's score is intense and dramatic, emphasizing the emotions and tensions of the characters. Jennifer Lame's editing is fluid and rhythmic, alternating action scenes with more intimate and reflective ones.

 The strong point of the film, however, are the actors, who interpret the protagonists of this true and complex story with skill and charisma. Cillian Murphy gives an extraordinary performance as Oppenheimer, making him a fascinating and controversial character, capable of genius and torment, of idealism and pragmatism, of love and guilt. Emily Blunt is convincing in the role of wife Katherine, a strong and intelligent woman who tries to support her husband in her difficult choices. Matt Damon is flawless as General Leslie Groves, the military leader of the Manhattan Project, who has an adversarial but respectful relationship with Oppenheimer. Robert Downey Jr. is striking in the role of Lewis Strauss, the commissioner of atomic energy who accuses Oppenheimer of being a communist. The other actors are all great in their supporting roles, making for a gallery of memorable characters.

 The film is not only a portrait of an exceptional man, but also a reflection on the meaning and consequences of science, war and responsibility. The film does not just show historical events, but relates them to the personal motivations, political ideologies and moral implications of the protagonists. The film neither judges nor glorifies Oppenheimer, but presents him as a complex and contradictory human being who changed the course of history with his discoveries and decisions.

 Oppenheimer is a film that moved me and made me think. I recommend it to all lovers of quality cinema, history and science. It is a film that deserves to be seen at the cinema, to better appreciate its visual and sonic power.