(Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh | Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images)
Prometheus gave the gift of fire to the mere mortals from the gods, and that is why he was then punished by the gods. I am paraphrasing the quote here from the beginning of the film, but this story is the one of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who gave humanity the power to destroy themselves through atomic fire.
Now, after a global pandemic, years of violence, and an existential fear of the world ending, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan has released his grand biopic, “Oppenheimer,” to give us more anxiety of our past, and our future.
I know that last paragraph felt like a bummer, but this is a great movie that deserves to be viewed, preferably, on the biggest screen possible to get the fullest immersion. This may be Nolan’s best film so far, exploring the hubris of man and the guilt of a person who may have doomed the whole world with his invention of the atomic bomb, and how his remorse destroyed his career.
Cillian Murphy shines as the titular Oppenheimer who moves his expressions from stoic to anxious in the snap of a finger. The supporting cast of the film is stacked with actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Rami Malek, Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt. All actors deliver wonderful performances with Nolan’s script being immaculately written.
No spoilers here, but the scene where the bomb is tested is one of the most tense scenes ever put to cinema. Many other scenes are just as intense, with one particular part being borderline horror and evoking the surrealist horror vibes of Ari Aster.
This film is Nolan’s masterpiece and a sobering meditation on the power and control we have over weapons we have created. The world did forever change with not only the creation of the atomic bomb, but also this film. I expect lots of awards buzz and a few Oscars coming Nolan’s way.
5 out of 5 stars. A true cinematic crowning achievement.
Zipporah Pruitt, (she/her) is an L.A. homegrown journalist, who covers entertainment and culture. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @zippzapps.
Edited by Nykeya Woods