This week is one of the biggest weeks in the 2023 film calendar. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is opening in theaters the same day as Greta Gerwig's Barbie. It’s fierce competition for Nolan, but he and actor Cillian Murphy have shown support for both films. The release has odds stacked against Oppenheimer's success. Only one question remains between the Hollywood strikes and general box office concerns. Can Christopher Nolan’s film live up to the hype?
No matter the real-world circumstances, Oppenheimer can live up to the hype. Nolan’s filmmaking sensibilities always demand a discussion. His films are cinematic events that fill audiences with questions long after the credits role. The first reactions are the first bit of proof that the film has lived up to the hype. Those reactions can always be a bit biased, being that most saw the film at its world premiere. For Oppenheimer to truly live up to the hype, it has a difficult task to complete.
The Cast Has to Be Up to the Challenge
Saying J. Robert Oppenheimer had a “full life” is an understatement. The man created a world-destroying weapon that had horrific implications. Those implications have to be reflected in the performances. If the reactions to Oppenheimer are any indication, the film most definitely paints an effective picture.
The following detail that needs to be answered is much more simplistic. Every performance has to deliver the truth and fear of the era. Each character has to be up to the trials and tribulations of those they are portraying. None can be more important than that of Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer.
His life was filled with emotional distress and continuous turmoil. The man built a life-destroying weapon and was emotionally drained by the results. Murphy has played characters scarred by trauma in the past. His roles, like Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders and the Scarecrow from Batman Begins, had their own darkness.
Both characters had to hide the severity of their actions. Simultaneously, they had to eventually “release” the stress of their actions and their drama. Murphy can easily convey that “simmering” rage that will inevitably boil over. He is not the only actor with a challenge ahead.
Oppenheimer’s supporting cast is a cavalcade of talented actors. The supporting cast includes (but is not limited to) Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Kenneth Branagh. Those are some of the biggest named actors in the film. Surrounding that main cast is a variety of talented supporting performers.
An ensemble of this caliber has to be careful not to overshadow one another. Instead, the story has to focus on accurately portraying the horrors of the period. Even with what we know of Oppenheimer, Nolan has one major challenge ahead of him.
Nolan Has to Balance Trauma With Spectacle
Christopher Nolan’s filmography proves something important of the filmmaker. Creating compelling characters is at the top of his priority list. His films are crafted around characters that audiences can relate to. When audiences can care about the characters, we can become engaged in their stories.
A real-life figure such as Oppenheimer dealt with some incredibly difficult moral decisions. As traumatic as Cillian Murphy will portray the character, we have to feel his pain. Feeling this trauma can be done via the spectacle and horror of the Atomic Bomb.
Creating the horrors of this weapon of mass destruction is not a small feat. How Nolan managed to recreate the nuclear bomb explosion is a topic of conversation. It has been noted that no CGI was used in the blast recreation. To be clear, that is not to say Nolan detonated an atomic weapon. But his commitment to creating something similar shows his passion for his material.
His meticulous attention to detail proves that he is a filmmaker like no other. His passion for authenticity is something that attracts such massive ensembles. The name “Christopher Nolan” is enough to attract a stacked and well-rounded cast.
Oppenheimer is a film unlike anything else that Christopher Nolan has released before. It is a film that has been described by Nolan as “kind of a horror movie.” It’s a story that will take audiences on an emotionally rich journey. Viewers have to be wowed and horrified at the dangers of this time.
Succeeding at accurately portraying those horrors is not Oppenheimer's only goal. This is the first film in Nolan’s new partnership with Universal Studios. After the tumultuous release of Tenet with Warner Bros Pictures, eyes are on Oppenheimer's box-office performance. The film has to be more than just an emotionally stirring historical epic.
Nolan's latest is still going to face several challenges upon its release weekend. With the film opening up against Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, it will face grueling competition. Its R-rating and discussion of being like a “horror” film could deter audiences. Time will tell if the name “Christopher Nolan” can bring in viewers.
Everyone in front of and behind the camera has the potential to make a truly groundbreaking product. In theory, everything about Oppenheimer should live up to the hype for those who are excited. Only time (and reviews) will tell if the film can truly deliver the spectacle that is being advertised.