Robin Gierse
Space Nerd

Today I enjoyed

Oppenheimer

2 min read

Today I enjoyed: Oppenheimer.

On opening night in Germany actually, so some weeks ago. But it left an impression for sure. And that is true, even if this movie is arguably not the best Nolan movie.

Oppenheimer tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the so-called father of the atomic bomb. We learn about his life from being a student over becoming a professor to the probably most defining days of his life: The first ever successful test of an atomic bomb and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

It is an opulent film, with impressive cinematography, great acting (especially by Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy) and quite frankly a breathtaking depiction of an atomic bomb explosion. Especially the explosion is remarkable, as Nolan manages to capture the awful power as well as the stunning, although terrifying beauty of it without actually detonating such a nefarious device.

On the other hand, it is a typical Nolan movie in a sense, that he always has to take the complexity to another level. His former feature films are (in)famous for this already, but with Oppenheimer he went too far. The story is told in three intertwined timelines, which the audience struggles to grasp at times. It feels just unnecessary to not tell the story more linearly. I do not resent one or another flashback to provide perspective, but it would not have taken away anything from the movie, to keep it more linear.

Overall it is still a phenomenal movie which one definitely wants to see on the big screen. Even if you did not get a chance to do so, watching it at home is still worth it. Just make sure you are well awake and free of distractions when doing so.