Oppenheimer review: Audience appreciating, critics say It's Christopher Nolan's best film to date

     

RATING :  ★★★★/5

RELEASE DATE: July 21, 2023

DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan

CAST: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Rami Malek, Florence Pugh

RATING: R

RUNTIME:150 Minutes

WRITERS: Christopher Nolan

BUDGET: $100 Million

STUDIO(S): Syncopy Inc., Atlas Entertainment

DISTRIBUTOR(S): Universal Pictures

      

Synopsis: During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world's first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.

Oppenheimer review- Christopher Nolan’s  biopic is a towering achievement

 Review: "Oppenheimer," the latest film from director Christopher Nolan, has generated significant pre-release speculation, particularly surrounding its portrayal of the explosion of the first atomic bomb. However, what truly captivates audiences is the film's focus on human emotions and the power of facial expressions. Starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film delves into the internal turmoil and complexities of the titular character, known as the supervisor of the nuclear weapons team at Los Alamos.

   

   

Nolan, along with cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, uses the large-format IMAX film system not only to capture the grandeur of New Mexico's desert landscapes but also to contrast Oppenheimer's external calmness with his internal struggles. The film heavily relies on close-up shots of faces, particularly Cillian Murphy's haunting performance, where Oppenheimer appears lost in his thoughts or memories. These close-ups help convey the weight of the characters' decisions and emotions, highlighting the impact of individual choices on both themselves and others.

The film incorporates flash-cuts of events that haven't happened yet or have already occurred, blurring the lines between past, present, and future. It frequently employs imagery of fire, debris, and explosions, as well as non-incendiary scenes of personal disasters, metaphorically representing the domino effect caused by individual decisions.

Despite the film's focus on Oppenheimer, it also delves into the effects of his personality and decisions on other significant characters in his life. This includes General Leslie Groves (played by Matt Damon), Kitty Oppenheimer (Emily Blunt), Oppenheimer's wife, and Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), the Atomic Energy Commission chair who held animosity toward Oppenheimer for various reasons.

       

"Oppenheimer" is not merely about the atomic bomb itself or its impact on history; instead, it explores the complexities of human nature, the consequences of decisions, and the interplay of individual actions within society. The film uses the principles of quantum physics as a motif, emphasizing how observing events can change their meaning, much like how new information can alter our perception of a character's actions.

The movie's nonlinear narrative, reminiscent of the editing style of Terrence Malick, captures the complexities of human consciousness and emotions. It also employs an academic-psychedelic approach, evoking Oliver Stone's stylized biographies from the 1990s. While some viewers may find the film's length and narrative choices challenging, it offers a unique and thought-provoking exploration of Oppenheimer's life and the human psyche.

Ultimately, "Oppenheimer" stands as a departure from Nolan's previous blockbuster-style films. Instead, it dives deep into the innermost thoughts and emotions of its characters, utilizing innovative filmmaking techniques to create a mesmerizing and intellectually stimulating experience for its audience. The film's open-ended conclusion leaves viewers to interpret the events and characters for themselves, adding to its enigmatic and captivating nature.

Ending explanation:

 The inclusion of a scene in Christopher Nolan's film, Oppenheimer, where the titular character appears to have sex while reciting verses from an ancient Sanskrit scripture, has sparked controversy and drawn the ire of a section of social media users. These users claim that the lines recited in the scene are from the Bhagavad Gita, a revered Hindu scripture, and have demanded the removal of the sequence from the film worldwide.

Uday Mahurkar, an information commissioner in the Government of India, wrote an open letter to Nolan, expressing his concerns about the scene. He termed it a "disturbing attack on Hinduism" and appealed to the director to remove the scene from the movie to uphold the dignity of the revered book and avoid any offense to the billion Hindus worldwide. Mahurkar's letter was also endorsed by the Save Culture Save India Foundation, which emphasizes the importance of respecting religious sentiments.

The Bhagavad Gita holds deep significance in Hindu culture, and J. Robert Oppenheimer, the central figure of the film, was known to be influenced by its teachings. In an interview, Oppenheimer had recalled a verse from the Bhagavad Gita ("Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds") after witnessing the first detonation of a nuclear weapon in 1945.

In the film, Cillian Murphy portrays Oppenheimer, and in a particular scene, his character is depicted having sex with psychologist Jean Tatler, played by Florence Pugh, while she asks him to read a verse from what appears to be a Sanskrit book. The specific title or cover of the book is not visible in the scene. On Tatler's insistence, a confused Oppenheimer reads out the verse she points to, which corresponds to the famous verse from the Bhagavad Gita.

The controversy has intensified due to the conflicting ratings given to the film in different countries. In India, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) gave the film a U/A rating, suitable for viewers above 13 years, after certain scenes were cut to reduce its length. However, in the United States, the movie received an 'R' rating, requiring viewers under 17 to be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.

Mahurkar expressed his perplexity over how the CBFC approved the movie with the controversial scene, and there has been no immediate response from the board members when contacted.

While the film has received positive reviews and has performed well at the box office in India, the controversy surrounding the inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita verses in the intimate scene has become a topic of heated debate and discussion.

Controversy regarding ' Oppenheimer ' : 

The release of Christopher Nolan's film, Oppenheimer, has sparked controversy due to a particular scene involving the titular character and verses from the Bhagavad Gita. Social media users claimed that the scene is a "disturbing attack on Hinduism" and have demanded its removal from the film worldwide. Uday Mahurkar, an information commissioner in the Government of India and founder of Save Culture Save India Foundation, wrote an open letter to Nolan, urging him to uphold the dignity of the revered book and take necessary action to remove the scene on behalf of the billion Hindus worldwide.

       

Oppenheimer, a sprawling 180-minute-long biographical drama about the American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, has received positive reviews and achieved considerable success at the box office in India.

J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the "father of the atom bomb," was influenced by the Bhagavad Gita and had learned Sanskrit. In an interview, he had recalled a verse from the ancient Hindu text after witnessing the first detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

In the film, Oppenheimer, portrayed by Cillian Murphy, engages in a scene of intimacy with psychologist Jean Tatler, played by Florence Pugh. During this scene, Tatler asks Oppenheimer to read a verse from a Sanskrit book, though the title or cover of the book is not visible in the film. On Tatler's insistence, Oppenheimer reads out the verse, which corresponds to the famous Bhagavad Gita verse he had recalled in real life.

The film received a U/A rating from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India, suitable for viewers above 13 years, after certain scenes were cut to reduce the movie's length. However, in the United States, it was rated 'R– Restricted,' requiring viewers under 17 to be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. This marks Nolan's first R-rated film.

Mahurkar expressed perplexity over the CBFC's approval of the film despite the controversial scene, but there was no immediate response from the censor board members when contacted.

During the film's promotional campaign, Cillian Murphy shared that he had read the Bhagavad Gita to prepare for his role as Oppenheimer and found it to be an "absolutely beautiful text, very inspiring."

The inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita verses in the intimate scene has sparked heated discussions and debates surrounding the film's artistic choices and sensitivity to religious sentiments.