Heart racing, panic inducing, eye-opening, fascinating. All of these encompass Christopher Nolan's biographical masterpiece about the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the 'Father of the atomic bomb'. Set during World War II, it tells the story of Oppenheimer as he was appointed to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project, and how he subsequently created the atomic bomb that would inflict the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

 

It is a study of a man battling between his own scientific possibility and the state of the world he is living in, and how his own designs could bring about the end of it, or the start of a new one. The majority of the movie is seen through Oppenheimer's eyes; a subjective lens of colour. However, it flits between this lens and the black and white objective lens of others around him.

 

It seems like an odd choice for Nolan, who has made a name for himself in his love of playing with time in movies such as Interstellar, Dunkirk and Inception. However, Nolan tackles Oppenheimer's life and story with immense curiosity, almost as if he was a puzzle himself to be solved. Cillian Murphy takes on the titular role with undoubtable care and craftsmanship, and I was consistently blown away by the depth of emotion he was able to bring to the screen.

 

I'd be surprised if his name isn't on the Oscar's list this year because it is a stellar, captivating and gut-wrenching performance. Alongside him as his wife Kitty, is Emily Blunt who, as always, gave a stunning performance. The way her character became progressively more emotional in every scene until we see her finally, with tears streaming down her face and a lifeless gaze in her eyes.

 

Robert Downey Jr plays Lewis Strauss, a chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission and whose eyes we see a portion of the film through. Downey Jr is a standout in this film and gives a passionate performance, unlike anything I've seen him do before. Not to mention performances from Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Matt Damon, Matthew Modine, Jack Quaid, and countless other names. We can always expect a Nolan movie to be jam packed with the biggest, most talented names in acting.

 

It is no secret that Nolan loves to create intense atmospheres in his films, however Oppenheimer takes it to an entirely new level. The constant crescendoing soundtrack, the subtle ticking, flashes of light and loud stamping of feet, the intensity in the lead performances. There was rarely a moment to breathe, especially in the second act which took you up and up until the countdown to the explosion begins and you can hardly take your eyes off the screen.

 

Nolan's ability to capture the level of pressure and anticipation in the moments leading up to the test explosion and everything that spirals out afterwards, is a master class in movie making. This was further intensified by Ludwig Goransson's electrifying score in which a violin plays a central role, Nolan having said that it could be "the most romantic, beautiful tone" to then suddenly being "neurotic and heart wrenching". An impressive feat is proven by Nolan refusing to use any CGI during the making of Oppenheimer.

 

In the past he has blown up planes and filmed in zero gravity, and now he has made a film about the creation of the atomic bomb, without using a single piece of CGI. The crew were able to create a mini explosion that filmed up close, gave the illusion of the Trinity test that was performed in 1945. They did in fact use a real bomb, however it was fueled by petroleum rather than atomic energy.

 

The lack of CGI has become a recognisable attribute of Nolan's filmmaking and keeps getting more and more impressive each time. It is hard to write a review about a film that you fell so much into, however it left me speechless and blown away by the capabilities of cinema. Filmed in IMAX as the majority of Nolan's films are, it definitely deserves to be experienced on the big screen.

 

It is a triumphant piece of cinema that sweeps you into the story for the 3 plus hours it runs, and takes you on a colossal journey through every emotion possible.