'Oppenheimer' review: Sympathy for the destroyer of worlds
by Martin J. Sherwin and Kai Bird, follows Oppenheimer from his time in Germany as a doctoral student, to his professorship at UC Berkeley. He mingles with notable scientists, including Albert Einstein himself, and makes a name for himself as a quantum physics researcher. We see Oppenheimer as more than just a bookish geek: He sends money to anti-fascists fighting in the Spanish Civil War, he pushes for unionization among lab workers and professors, and he supports local Communists.
It's not too long before he's recruited to the Manhattan Project to build an atomic bomb, and the myth-making truly begins. Like a Nolan heist film, he assembles a team of the brightest scientific minds in America and beyond, and he pushes the government to establish a town doubling as a secret research base in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
At the very least, it would have been interesting to see Oppenheimer reckon more directly with the aftermath of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We see him confront President Harry Truman in a vain attempt to stop building nuclear weapons, and the film points to his very public stance against future bombs. But even those scenes feel self-serving.
At the end of the film, Oppenheimer finally comes to understand something many of his colleagues have been saying from the beginning. Nothing will be the same because of him. There is no peace now, only the undying specter of nuclear annihilation.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What happened to J. Robert Oppenheimer after the events of 'Oppenheimer'?Here's what happened to J. Robert Oppenheimer after the war, how the results of the security investigation impacted his life and the 2022 twist in Oppenheimer's story the movie leaves out.
Read more »
Could ‘Oppenheimer’ Finally Win Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. Oscars?Oppenheimer is likely to make a strong impression on the Oscar race. Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt have the best shots for acting nominations among the huge ensemble cast.
Read more »
Christopher Nolan: 'Bittersweet' to have 'Oppenheimer' cast leave London premiere amid SAG-AFTRA strikeDuring the London premiere of the highly anticipated film 'Oppenheimer,' some stars left early to join the picket lines in support of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Read more »
My 5 favorite Christopher Nolan movies, including an Oppenheimer predictionA subjective ranking of Christopher Nolan's 5 best movies -- including a prediction of where Oppenheimer is likely to land on the list.
Read more »