Oppenheimer

In his most mature and least audience-friendly film, Christopher Nolan draws in and astonishes viewers of all levels of intelligence and education with three hours of talk about nuclear physics and politics. I bow down before him. Filming such a focused, perfectly acted, informationally rich and thoughtfully assembled mosaic of events that remains interesting and historically accurate throughout its runtime in just 57 days is a display of filmmaking mastery. The fact that Nolan was aided in this by a subject that concerns and terrifies each of us is not a crutch. Which other director could bring such verve to this subject matter? The intensity and urgency of the film’s narrative are again boosted by the clamorously mixed soundtrack by the wizard Ludwig Göransson (Tenet), which is worthy of admiration in its own right due to its originality and the creativity in the details. Brilliant stylisation of the characters, editing and casting of actors that you wouldn’t expect and who fit perfectly (Benny Safdie rules!). A those two crucial scenes built on essential filmmaking elements without digital aids are absolutely fantastic. Immediately after the film ended, I had mixed feelings, as I had expected something different, as perhaps each of us did. But as time passed, Oppenheimer grew on me and I’m glad that Nolan did it his way. (17/08/2023)

Curriculum vitae not inside out, but into pieces. Countless micro clashes and seemingly fleeting relationships wrapped in the construction of one city, one attempt, and two checks. All in the avalanche of phenomenal acting performances led by Downey, Florence Pugh, and of course the torn shadowy antihero. And at the heart of it all, a ticking and waiting emotional payload that knows that selfish people rarely know that they are selfish. In the gradual conclusion, despite the air-conditioned cinema, I felt the weight of the moment on me, drops of sweat from nervousness and from the absolute immersion in key scenes. (18/10/2023)

Nolan is the Dr. Manhattan of contemporary Hollywood. And perhaps will be for another two decades at least. At the peak of his creative powers, he can afford a three-hour conversation colossus, which subjectively lasts a third less, because the level of precision of all creative components is on an absolute level. Actually, even the most coveted gold-plated statue is completely understandable. And yet something is missing. Perhaps a bit of personal passion in front of and behind the camera. Without hesitation, however, this is the only film by the director that I know I will probably never watch again. PS: Sex in the interrogation room is probably the biggest cringe moment in Nolan's filmography. No debate about it. (25/03/2024)

The long wait for another Nolan film was broken by the biographical story of Robert Oppenheimer, the man behind the atomic bomb. Yes, the subject matter is undeniably strong, but 180 minutes? Not so much. In typical Nolan fashion, he doesn't make it easy for the viewer, intertwining three timelines right from the start. If you're not familiar with the basics of Oppenheimer's life, good luck keeping up. The film is heavy on dialogue – a lot of talking, and not the gripping kind. This is especially apparent whenever Albert Einstein appears on screen; those moments steal the show and offer the best dialogue the film has to offer. It's a movie about a monumental scientific advancement, one that's essential for human progress but also one we might not deserve. It also highlights American arrogance and hints at what the Russians did afterwards – but let's not even go there. (23/12/2023)

The creator of this device will be weighed down by his conscience, whether he is the destroyer of worlds or their savior. Let’s compare the escalating drama of the Trinity test culminating in deafening silence with the famous quote read in Sanskrit during a non-nuclear fusion with Florence Pugh, or naked bodies in chairs and imagination, and let’s consider what the author is truly good at and where the artistic arrangement feels of dubious value. In the respectful sense, it’s an opulent commissionary martyrdom, but it offers fewer truly exceptional moments than there are appearances of the god born in Ulm on a pulley. Nolan has the skills to craft a technically perfect bomb, but perhaps he should entrust the design to someone else. (23/10/2023)