Even before Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Oppenheimer, became one half of 2023’s most well-known promotional campaign Barbenheimer, there were many reasons for it to be considered one of the biggest movies of the summer. Not only is Nolan known for having an ambitious vision and scope with his films that make them worth seeing on the biggest screen possible, but Oppenheimer also features a star-studded cast that solidifies it as a true summer blockbuster.

So, like its opening weekend rival turned ally Barbie, the biggest question remaining about Oppenheimer is whether it lives up to the hype. The answer is a resounding yes and despite some faulty elements that keep it from being Nolan’s masterpiece, Oppenheimer delivers captivating thrills, performances, and storytelling that elevates a standard biopic into an enthralling historical epic. As always, Nolan loves playing around with time and using non-linear storytelling to make the film’s story more complex and engaging. That remains the same with Oppenheimer as it depicts the life and impact of renowned theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) through two distinct timelines.

The first focuses on Oppenheimer becoming tasked with pulling a talented team together to craft the atomic bomb and dealing with the destructive reality of his creation. The other takes place years later when Oppenheimer’s patriotic loyalty and trust is put into question by his rival Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) – who has concocted a complicated plan to tarnish Oppenheimer’s standing in society. It’s incredibly impressive how Nolan manages to keep the storytelling smooth throughout and despite the events of these storylines taking place many years apart, the way they bounce off each other is great. Often, the transitions between each timeline happen because of a connecting event, theme, or conversation that occurs and it’s incredibly effective in fleshing out some big and subtle moments in Oppenheimer’s life and perspective.

Even with so much happening at once sometimes, Oppenheimer’s narrative direction relatively remains clear and easy enough to follow. There are some things in the final act that muddy things up a bit as Strauss’ complicated plan to make Oppenheimer look bad and some concluding moments are a little tough to figure out in the moment. Oppenheimer has a bit of a jumbled finale that can throw a lot at viewers and overwhelm them with sudden information and swift turns. However, some of the confusing conclusions don’t ruin the story in the slightest as Nolan does a great job putting viewers into the mind and perspective of Oppenheimer himself.

There are so many vast qualities to Oppenheimer that make him sort of a living puzzle you want to figure out and it’s partly because you’re seeing him find his place in a world that wants to be more defined. Despite him being a professional man of science, Oppenheimer is incredibly intrigued by the politics of the time as more Communist ways of thinking start to spread in his inner circles. He’s also shown to be a big player in scientific theory surrounding quantum physics catching fire – which helps build towards him becoming a part of the Manhattan Project. Honestly, there are so many compelling shades to Oppenheimer that make his personal story so fascinating to watch.

His desires to remain a freethinker in this time make him the perfect person to traverse this underseen era of American politics with as he has a relatively open mind. Nolan’s writing creates a more personable depiction that allows for some humorous lines to come from Oppenheimer’s interactions. Plus, Murphy’s performance creates such a striking balance within Oppenheimer between his humanity and scientific aspirations. There are great moments where you see a more personable side to Oppenheimer that Murphy allows to be charming and somewhat charismatic. And there’s a slightly colder side that sees Oppenheimer hellbent on making his political and scientific ideas a reality. Yet, there’s still this lingering mystery to his intentions and beliefs that keep audiences incredibly hooked as the film leads into Oppenheimer leading the Manhattan Project.

Once Oppenheimer goes to Los Alomos and assembles his team, the film picks up momentum in a way that audiences will feel. Given how secretive and high stakes this project is, you literally feel like a fly on the wall and it’s what makes the swirling politics and scientific theory surrounding this situation so captivating. Even when a scene is just people talking in a room or Oppenheimer privately talking with General Groves (Matt Damon), the film manages to stay alluring and build suspense right to the climactic bomb test. Honestly, Nolan should be considered a Master of Suspense for what he achieves with the leadup to the bomb test.

When people talk about palpable suspense and/or a tense atmosphere, the bomb test sequence is the physical manifestation of that. The anxiety that fills the room is so real you almost feel like you’re on the test site with them and it’s one of the most immersive experiences audiences will have with a movie this year. Viewers will literally be on the verge of sweating and be gripped to their seats even after the button is pressed and it’s a testament to Nolan’s dedication to his craft. And then the bomb goes off and you’re left stunned and admittedly, possibly underwhelmed.

Now, is the film’s atomic bomb explosion impressive? Absolutely. The fact that Nolan does this explosion practically is remarkable and it’s technically impressive in so many ways. The way Nolan gives explosions in this film realistic depictions in terms of sound and destructive scale is pivotal to what makes the atomic bomb sequence so memorable and epic. It’s a moment that lets viewers feel the weight of what’s just been unleashed, and it plays a big role in audiences understanding Oppenheimer’s eventual concern over what he’s just built. Now, is this explosion all it was hyped up to be? Eh, I don’t know. While it is epic in its scale and how it’s captured, the dropping of the bomb doesn’t feel as game-changing or mind-blowing as it was built up to be.

Still though, the bomb drop sequence is one of the many visual and technical marvels seen in this film and Nolan follows it up perfectly with how Oppenheimer grows concerned over what he’s done. It’s really great how the impact of the bomb is explored through Oppenheimer’s obvious guilt and worry of what he’s done. The film does a great exploration of his character in these moments and touches on the human impact of creating something so horrifying and devastating yet having no control over it. It’s literally like his life is ripped out of his hands and Murphy does a phenomenal job displaying the conflicted emotions and genuine horror that Oppenheimer has. Murphy’s performance here is a defining moment of his highly underrated career and there’s something so satisfying about how finally gets his time in the spotlight and just totally crushes it in every scene.

The last act of Oppenheimer is actually where its emotions and humanity feel the most powerful and it does a great job touching on how this creation has altered human life in a vastly daunting way. The interrogation, essentially, of Oppenheimer and his former cohorts by Strauss’ men are some of the tensest and enlightening of the film. It’s where Oppenheimer’s perspective and intentions are challenged greatly, and the film digs deeper into the horrifying reality of the paranoia and conflict this bomb has caused. It’s also where Downey Jr.’s performance becomes award-worthy, and he makes Strauss’ pettiness and confidence so entrancing that you’re left hanging off every word. Even the final scene lands this strong gut-punch on audiences that leaves them thinking about the tensions and issues of our world today – which is what a great movie always does.

Unfortunately, despite Nolan’s writing and direction being pretty much flawless throughout Oppenheimer, there are some aspects that stand out as being subpar. Frankly, when the story tries to touch on Oppenheimer’s relationships with his lover Jean (Florence Pugh) and wife Kitty (Emily Blunt), it’s just so vastly weak. It feels like Nolan is trying to use these relationships to establish a greater point about Oppenheimer that just doesn’t come through. There’s nothing compelling about these aspects of the story and frankly, no real chemistry between Oppenheimer and these two women to make these relationships make sense or be remotely interesting. Also, just as a personal side note, the number of recognizable stars in this film is a little obnoxious. It is impressive to see Nolan bring together so much multi-generational talent to this film, but it can be a distracting and unnecessary part to the film’s experience.

Although it isn’t without its flaws and subpar elements that keep it from being Nolan’s true best, Oppenheimer is a fantastic epic by Nolan that’s easily one of the best films of his career as well as the year, in general. Its heart-pounding suspense, gripping storytelling, and phenomenal performances led by Murphy’s all-time best make it a must-watch and Nolan’s vision and ambition make it a requirement to see it on the big screen so that you can fully experience the weight and explosive thrills of this history altering endeavor.

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