Critics are swooning over Oppenheimer, the drama about the scientist known as the father of the atomic bomb, after its Paris premiere on Tuesday.
Journalists who watched the film have taken to Twitter to share their rave reviews of the film, with one critic describing how the film “split open my brain” and “left me sobbing through the credits”
Oppenheimer features an all-star cast and is led by Cillian Murphy, who plays the theoretical physicist who helped develop the bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. The Christopher Nolan-directed film also stars Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon.
Film critic Robbie Collin of The Telegraph raved on Twitter: “I’m torn between being coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it’s a total knockout that split my brain like a quivering plutonium core and left me sobbing.” through the credits. like I can’t even remember what else.’
He also teased plenty of sex scenes: “And for all those who have grumbled about the lack of sex in Christopher Nolan’s earlier work… boy oh BOY, you get some sex like only Nolan can stage it in this one.”
‘Split my brain open’: Critics are absolutely swooning over Oppenheimer, the drama about the scientist known as the father of the atomic bomb, after its Paris premiere
Film critic Bilge Ebiri sprang from the vulture: ‘OPPENHEIMER is…incredible. The word that keeps coming to mind is “terrifying.” A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan knocks the hammer down in the most astonishing, crushing way.”
Jonathan Dean of The Sunday Times called the film “bold” and “inventive”, also criticizing the use of the female characters.
Completely absorbed in OPPENHEIMER, a dense, high-profile, suspenseful film, partly about the bomb, mostly about how doomed we are. Happy summer! Murphy is good, but the support is essential: Damon, Downey Jr & Ehrenreich even bring jokes. A bold, inventive, complex film to rock its audience,” he posted.
‘The disadvantage? The women are poorly served – Emily Blunt only gets out of her stressed-out mother role once. But it’s right in my Nolan top three, alongside Memento & The Prestige,” he added.
Lindsey Bahr, a film writer for the Associated Press, was also enchanted.
“Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is truly a spectacular performance, in its truthful, concise adaptation, inventive storytelling and nuanced performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon and the many, many others involved – some alone for a scene,” she posted
It’s hard to talk about something as stupid as this in something as silly as a tweet or thread, but Oppenheimer really is a serious, philosophical, grown-up drama that is as suspenseful and thrilling as Dunkirk. And the big moment – THAT MOMENT – is awe-inspiring,” she continued.
Critical Praise: Oppenheimer features an all-star cast and is led by Cillian Murphy, who plays the theoretical physicist who helped develop the bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer
All-Star Cast: Matt Damon is one of the cast in the movie
Big names: The cast also includes Florence Pugh – who plays Oppenheimer’s mistress – Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek and Josh Hartnett
“So many years after seeing that opening shot of The Dark Knight in IMAX on CityWalk and not understanding what I saw on a technical level but feeling it, I feel very lucky to have seen Oppenheimer in 70mm IMAX. A once in a lifetime experience,” added Lindsey
Total Film’s Matt Maytum was also blown away by the drama.
‘#Oppenheimer left me speechless: a character study on the grandest scale, with a sublime central performance by Cillian Murphy. An epic historical drama but with a distinct Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, surprising sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow.’
Meanwhile, Variety’s Elsa Keslassy tweeted, “A sign that French audiences loved #Oppenheimer is that they stopped in front of the Grand Rex theater long after the film ended to discuss it!”
In addition to Cillian, the cast also includes Florence Pugh – who plays Oppenheimer’s mistress – Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek and Josh Hartnett.
The reviews are in! Critics praised the film after viewing it in Paris on Tuesday
Oppenheimer was the director of the laboratory that designed the atomic bomb as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II.
The film is an adaptation of the 2006 book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
The book, which won the Pulitzer Prize, chronicles Oppenheimer’s personal life and his time as leader of the Manhattan Project in the early and mid-1940s.
Oppenheimer will be released in the US on July 21, 2023.