Having watched this film makes me proud to love cinema, this is a true display of every potential cinema has to offer. A cinematic spectacle of superb acting, directing, cinematography and pure storytelling. This is what cinema is truly for, telling untold stories and illuminating history through the lens of art. Going into this film I knew enough about Oppenheimer and the A-bomb, or so I thought, this film enlightened me to so much more. Christopher Nolan has an eye for detail, he gives attention to moments that most would ignore and I loved those intimate moments.
Barbenheimer has been a cinematic phenomenon, with Barbie (2023) dominating the world through it vicious marketing campaign. It is to be expected that audiences will naturally gravitate towards Barbie over Oppenheimer. I found myself most expected for Barbie but, after watching, I was thrown back into reality and realised Oppenheimer didn't need all the marketing or publicity because the film speaks for itself.
Cillian Murphy is transcendent, he is a master and a victim to the craft of acting. This role seemed to consume him but I can confirm it did not go to waste. Every moment he was on screen I was fascinated by his efforts.
Whilst watching Oppenheimer, time stopped. I was transfixed by the pure historic and catastrophic events unfolding in front of me on screen. A rare cinematic experience in which I was hooked on every word and every movement.
Is Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan’s best and most cinematic masterpiece to date? Easily, the answer is yes. Although Oppenheimer’s heavy subject matter and long run time are hard to digest, there is no hesitation when I say that Oppenheimer is Nolan’s best feature. This film embodies everything I adore about filmmaking, every element is a true display of passion and a love of storytelling.
The juxtaposition of black and white to colour helped structure the film. The film was coherent and linear whilst disrupting the structure of a ‘typical’ film. Nolan states ‘no CGI’ was used, that is one of the most incredible statements after watching. One of the most visually and audibly fascinating films I have seen, every detail was executed with perfection. The use of sound was uniquely moving and left a lasting impact after hearing the immense boom and aftershock of the waves through the cinema.
Overall, Oppenheimer (2023) was always going to thrill and excite audiences but I can confidently say this film shocked me. I was deeply engrossed, saddened and truly moved by the picture and found myself to be utter invested in the characters and their story. Murphy is the only actor who could carry this type of role and story from beginning to end, Oppenheimer (2023) is a once in a lifetime kind of movie. One which you simply must experience.
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