Oppenheimer
2023
Christopher Nolan
181 min
Drama, History
The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer's role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
The Conversation
Critics unanimously hailed Oppenheimer as Nolan’s most mature achievement, earning stellar scores across platforms (93% RT Critics, 91% RT Audience, 90 Metacritic). Manohla Dargis of The New York Times praised its “brilliant achievement in formal and conceptual terms,” while Owen Gleiberman at Variety compared its fragmented structure to “cinematic fission.” Don’t miss Nolan’s extended interview with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, where he reveals how he condensed the sprawling biography American Prometheus into his most personal film yet.
'Oppenheimer' Review: A Man for Our Time
By Manohla Dargis
2023-07-19
Calls it a brilliant achievement in formal and conceptual terms; praises Nolan's virtuosity in service of history rather than self-aggrandizement.
Oppenheimer
By Matt Zoller Seitz
2023-07-19
Defends the film's structure and length, arguing the tribunal framing complements the story's moral weight; finds it something else entirely as a physical experience.
'Oppenheimer' Review: Christopher Nolan's Riveting Historical Drama
By Owen Gleiberman
2023-07-19
Praises Murphy's phenomenal performance and Nolan's maximalist cinema, comparing the film's fragmented structure to an act of cinematic fission.
Oppenheimer review — Christopher Nolan's volatile biopic is a towering achievement
By Wendy Ide
2023-07-22
Calls it a towering achievement with visuals you could drown in, though critiques the cursory treatment of female characters.
'Oppenheimer' Review: Christopher Nolan's Flawed and Brilliant Epic
By David Ehrlich
2023-07-19
Mixed — calls it the movie Nolan has been working toward his entire life, which only makes its shortcomings all the more frustrating.
'Oppenheimer' Review: Cillian Murphy in Christopher Nolan's Epic Drama
By David Rooney
2023-07-19
Calls it a brainy, brawny thriller; singles out Robert Downey Jr. as the standout performance. More slow-burn than explosive.
Oppenheimer Is a Talky Biopic With the Intensity of an Action Movie
By David Sims
2023-07-19
Describes it as a series of meetings that somehow drives the planet to the brink of apocalypse; topped Sims's best-of-2023 list.
The 'Oppenheimer' Deep Dive
2023-07-24
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins break down the film's structure, performances, and place in Nolan's filmography.
Ep. 732 — Oppenheimer (Guest: Patrick Willems)
2023-07-25
Dedicated Oppenheimer discussion episode with filmmaker and video essayist Patrick Willems as guest.
Oppenheimer, Barbie, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One
2023-07-23
Tim Grierson and Will Leitch review Oppenheimer alongside the other Barbenheimer weekend releases.
The Making of 'Oppenheimer' with Hoyte Van Hoytema, Jennifer Lame, and Ludwig Göransson
2024-01-14
Interviews with the film's cinematographer, editor, and composer about crafting Oppenheimer's look, rhythm, and score.
Oppenheimer with Marie Bardi
2023-07-30
Three-plus hour deep dive as part of the Christopher Nolan miniseries, exploring the film's ambition and place in Nolan's career.
#929: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Earth Mama
2023-07-28
Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen review the Barbenheimer double feature; Oppenheimer discussion starts around the 52-minute mark.
Christopher Nolan: a showman’s odyssey
2024-02-01
Cover interview as Nolan received a BFI Fellowship; discusses his filmmaking philosophy, creative collaborations, and how Oppenheimer fits into his body of work.
An Extended Interview with Christopher Nolan, Director of Oppenheimer
2023-07-01
Nolan discusses how he came to choose the father of the atomic bomb as a subject and how he translated the sprawling biography American Prometheus into a single film.
Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan and Cast on Making the Summer’s Most Daring Film
2023-07-19
Nolan, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon discuss the stakes of making an R-rated, three-hour, CGI-free summer film about the atomic bomb.
Christopher Nolan on Writing Oppenheimer in First Person
2023-12-01
Nolan explains his unconventional choice to write the screenplay in first person, forcing himself to think like Oppenheimer and be him in the scenes.
'Oppenheimer' Cinematography So Complex, Kodak Created New Film Stock
2023-07-20
How Hoyte van Hoytema and Nolan pushed IMAX film to its limits, shooting both color and black-and-white large format — requiring Kodak to develop entirely new stock.
‘Like It or Not, We Live in Oppenheimer’s World,’ Says Director Christopher Nolan
2023-08-14
NPR interview where Nolan reflects on the moral weight of Oppenheimer’s legacy and why the story felt urgently relevant to the present moment.
How the Oppenheimer Trinity Test Sound Was Created
2023-12-15
Sound designer Richard King explains how the team built the Trinity test sequence’s silence-then-explosion from real-world recordings, without any digital synthesis.