A dramatization of the life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who had a large hand in the development of the atomic bombs that brought an end to World War II.A dramatization of the life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who had a large hand in the development of the atomic bombs that brought an end to World War II.A dramatization of the life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who had a large hand in the development of the atomic bombs that brought an end to World War II.
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- Won 7 Oscars
- 363 wins & 366 nominations total
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Summary
Featured reviews
Oppenheimer is - with no doubt- going to be one of the best movies in the history. Amazing cinematography, Exceptional acting and terrifying Soundtracks.
All the cast are great from cilian Murphy who is going for the oscar with this role to Rupert Downey jr and Emily blunt and finally rami malik who has small scenes but you will never forget them.
I didn't watch it in Imax as i couldn't wait and ran to the nearest cinema but now i will sure book an imax ticket.
Don't waste any time, book your ticket and Go watch it.. NOW.
Very different from Nolan's recent films, especially the sci-fi ones, but shows that Nolan can master the biopic/drama genre just as well as he can any other genre he has tried to tackle yet. Personally, I must admit that unlike most of Nolan's previous films, I didn't go into this one with overly high expectations. Based on the genre and material the film is based on, I couldn't see how Christopher Nolan could give it his unique touch, and how it could stand alongside films like "The Dark Knight" trilogy, "Inception," and "Interstellar" in his filmography. The film proved me wrong. While it's not my personal top pick in Nolan's filmography, it's undoubtedly his best film so far.
One can think of Oppenheimer as a great example of catching lightning in a bottle. After a career full of brilliant works and paradigm-shifting films, Sir Nolan managed to craft a film that, in my opinion, is perfect. Against all odds, the film attracted an unparalleled audience size for its genre and proved to studios and public opinion that true cinema will always prevail.
Anyone who has read the book "American Prometheus" on which the film is based can attest to the incredible editing work Nolan did to turn it from a long and detail-packed narrative into a compact film that captivated such a wide audience. While the direction of the film is no less than masterful and is considered the strongest aspect of the film by critics and award bodies in the US and worldwide, in my opinion, the writing is actually the strongest aspect of the film - whether or not you consider the complex material it's based on.
The script of Nolan's Oppenheimer is based prominently on the book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Anyone familiar with the book can attest that Nolan's adaptation, transforming a lengthy, detail-laden book filled with transcripts and theoretical physics into a blockbuster that captivated a wide audience, is nothing short of miraculous. While the film's directing is undoubtedly masterful and even considered the film's strongest aspect by critics and award bodies worldwide, in my personal opinion, the writing is the most powerful element of the film-even without taking into account the complex material it is based on.
Legendary Irish actor Cillian Murphy leads the film with one of the best performances seen on the big screen, with his presence dominating the screen time throughout the film's 3 hours, allowing him to leave a long-lasting mark on the history of cinema. Robert Downey Jr. Also gives an impressive performance, capping off a career of over a decade of roles that didn't demand too much acting prowess from him.
The film is 3 hours long yet goes by very quickly and enjoyably. Without spoiling anything, the film presents important and very relevant subjects, and doing so while being non-stop entertainment and a comprehensive character study and a study of our society on a very high pace.
The way Nolan chose to compose the film, and Jennifer Lame's amazing editing (which unusually resembles more of an action film's editing than that of a drama), make the film very dynamic, with its extended length almost unnoticeable. The other technical aspects also strive for perfection - whether it's the costumes, set design, or cinematography.
A huge standout element of the film is the superb soundtrack by Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson, who won an Oscar, Grammy, and numerous other awards for his work on this film. According to Nolan himself, the film is divided into three acts: the first resembling a hero origin story, the second like a heist film, and the third like a courtroom drama. It's impressive how the soundtrack mirrors these acts perfectly, each suited to the genre portrayed on screen while maintaining consistency in the melodies and musical themes presented throughout the film. Using about 40 string players, 15 wind instruments, one harp, and a synthesizer, Göransson managed to meet both his and Nolan's high expectations, creating one of the most breathtaking soundtrack albums in recent years. The cinematography is stunning, and the editing is cutting-edge. As I mentioned, this movie is a masterpiece in pretty much all technical fronts as well.
Sir Nolan is well known for his profound love and respect for science, as well as his understanding of its importance in both storytelling and real-world impact. This is reflected in the themes he chooses to explore, the logical framework behind his scripts, and the technical aspects of his filmmaking process. From project to project, he tries to tell captivating stories that highlight the vital role of scientists and the value of intellect in the modern era. Oppenheimer is no exception, but in this project, Nolan aimed to explore not only the importance and positive influence of scientific innovations, but also the consequences they have on all of us and how they might achieve not only what was initially intended.
When watching the film, you can't help but feel it's a collaborative effort of a highly talented ensemble - from the actors to every single person responsible for every small detail in the film's production, all under the guidance of an experienced artist who has honed his craft over a career of more than 20 years. It feels like all of Nolan's previous films and the various genres he attempted to tackle improved his filmmaking abilities in different and diverse aspects, so that ultimately everything converged into this film, in which every aspect strives for absolute perfection, delivering everything we've come to expect from a Christopher Nolan film.
Among Sir Christopher Nolan's strengths is that he for sure knows how to do a proper ending sequence. He is rather well known for that. However, with Oppenheimer, he took this skill to a whole new level. A gut-wrenching, emotionally devastating ending that knocks the wind out of the viewer and leaves him speechless, contemplating everything he just witnessed and the implications it has for our world, ever relevant in these uncertain times. With Göransson's unforgettable music and Murphy's brilliant acting, this scene serves as one of my personal favorite ending scenes in a movie ever.
Without mentioning anything specific, there was one scene that caused almost every single person in the theatre to move nervously in their seats, non-stop for a long period of time, being one of the most intense scenes I ever watched in a movie and reminding me of the true power of the cinematic experience like no other movie did in recent years.
After a career filled with masterpieces and amazing films, Christopher Nolan finally managed to craft a perfect film- and to my great delight, he finally received the recognition he deserves. Despite all odds, the film managed to captivate audiences in disproportionate amounts for its genre, proving to studios and audience opinion alike that true cinema will always prevail. The year is only halfway through, but right now this is my top pick for the upcoming awards season. Picture, writing, directing, acting, score- Oppenheimer is a winner on all fronts. A rare feat for filmmaking and a salient reminder that cinema is not dead.
I highly recommend this film to everyone. I watched it once already and am going back to the theatre for at least a few more times soon.
This film is a masterclass in weaving narratives and different time periods while exploring the profound depths of a man whose actions altered the world's trajectory forever, for better or worse. Nolan brings us into the complexities of Oppenheimer, and all the moral conflicts stirring within him.
Murphy's portrayal is so riveting that the long run-time became an afterthought. Robert Downey Jr also offers a great performance and Nolan's push and pull with how he uses sound design throughout is the cherry on top.
Some viewers might need a brief refresher on WWII and Cold War history, but any film lover should be happy to willingly lose themselves in this film for hours on end.
I liked the cinematography but the beautiful scenes had an overwhelmingly loud background score that drowned out most of the dialogue and made it hard to comprehend what was going on.
The movie also had several disjointed scene transitions which in my opinion, because of lack of character development and loud background music, only added to the confusion, making it hard to follow the plot coherently. Overall, a disappointing experience that failed to live up to its hype.
Engineering 'Oppenheimer'
Engineering 'Oppenheimer'
Did you know
- TriviaIn order for the black and white sections of the movie to be shot in the same quality as the rest of the film, Kodak produced a limited supply of its Double-X black and white film stock in 70mm. This film stock was chosen specifically for its heritage - it was originally sold to photographers as Super-XX during World War II and was very popular with photojournalists of the era.
- GoofsThe stop signs are yellow in the film, which is accurate. The United States used yellow stop signs until 1954.
- Quotes
J. Robert Oppenheimer: Albert? When I came to you with those calculations, we thought we might start a chain reaction that would destroy the entire world...
Albert Einstein: I remember it well. What of it?
J. Robert Oppenheimer: I believe we did.
- Alternate versionsTo get a U/A rating certification in India, the movie was edited to remove or censor all nudity using CGI. For example, the scene where Tatlock and Oppenheimer have a conversation and the former character was topless, the nudity was censored with a CGI black dress. Many Middle Eastern countries use this exact same censored version for release.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Louder with Crowder: Going Out with a Bang! (2022)
- SoundtracksHoliday in Big Band Land
(uncredited)
Written by Gerhard Narholz
Performed by Les Brown and His Band of Renown
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Oppengeymer
- Filming locations
- Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA(only interiors, Los Alamos facilities interiors, including Oppenheimer's house, Fuller Lodge Interior and Exterior)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $100,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $330,078,895
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $82,455,420
- Jul 23, 2023
- Gross worldwide
- $975,811,333
- Runtime
- 3h(180 min)
- Color
- Sound mix