Written By: Cyrus Chiang
Plot: 9/10
Directing: 9/10
Cinematography: 9.5/10
Visual Effects: 9/10
Sound Design: 10/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Editing: 8.5/10
Costume: 8.5/10
Casting: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
“Now I am become Death, destroyer of worlds”
This movie is not what you expect. If you thought this movie would be about the Atomic Bomb, or World War II, you’d be gravely mistaken. Instead, this movie revolves around J. Robert Oppenheimer as a person; the numerous emotional conflicts that plagued his life throughout his time working on the Manhattan Project, as well as post-war McCarthyism. The emotional discord of key characters and internal turmoil felt by Oppenheimer is beautifully captured by the incredibly talented cast of actors, especially Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of the titular character Oppenheimer.
A Crescendo of Calamity
For the actors to express emotions is one thing, to compliment these emotions with a stunning soundtrack and world class sound design is another. The utilization of a heavy bass to accentuate every moment of tension, the cacophony of loud, chaotic sounds of many only to cut to the soft breathing of one truly formed a soundscaping masterclass from Christopher Nolan (the director). Though possibly intentional, the occasional overlap between the soundtrack and dialogue made it harder to hear what was being said.
Interstellar CGI
The CGI that Nolan utilized in this film was truly on par with Interstellar. The crisp depictions of the Sun and energy, paired with the sound effects, truly emphasizes the atomic bomb as a bomb with unfathomable amounts of power. Everything felt extremely realistic, and Nolan even managed to make moments of great destruction oddly beautiful.
Trailer or Movie?
Despite being 3 hours long, Oppenheimer’s first hour and a half felt like a massive trailer. The pacing was extremely rushed, with large amounts of cuts between different scenes accompanied by adrenaline pumping orchestral music. There were no emotional pauses, just one seemingly random scene after another that gradually convenes into a deep and compelling plot. This may throw off many audience members, myself included, as Christopher Nolan’s unorthodox approach to pacing may not be favorable to all viewers.
Watch or Drop?
I highly recommend this movie to everyone; not only is this a masterclass in sound design, CGI and compelling storytelling, but also boasts a crew of highly talented performers and a powerful soundtrack comparable to the explosive power of the first Atomic Bomb. However, it is to be noted that there are several sexually explicit and jarring scenes that may cause discomfort amongst viewers (especially the Hindu community), as well as deep symbolism that many may find hard to understand.
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