Film Review — Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy is Oscar-worthy in Christopher Nolan’s gripping and devastating atomic bomb drama.
Much has been written about the epic nature of Christopher Nolan’s films. The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and others are all known for their must-see-in-IMAX vastness, primarily for their immersive action sequences. Yet here, what Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema demonstrate most powerfully is the other vital reason to see a film on the biggest screen possible: The immersive, intimate drama of what takes place on the face of a great actor. In this case, Cillian Murphy.
Murphy’s portrayal of the scientist most directly responsible for the development of the atomic bomb, J Robert Oppenheimer, is now an early frontrunner for the Best Actor Oscar. In depicting this multi-layered, complex, enigmatic character, Murphy gives a tour-de-force performance. He renders with immense subtlety the nuances of a compelling and conflicted historical figure without resorting to scenery chewing histrionics. There’s a claustrophobic, slightly panicky way in which he imagines sub-atomic realms in early scenes, seeing beyond this world. But as is pointed out, with such abilities, there’s always a price to pay.
At once brilliant but possessed of a darker, even potentially murderous side (the…
