Oppenheimer Review: Christopher Nolan’s Epic Biopic Is A Cinematic Triumph

Cillian Murphy stands against a blue sky, holding a pipe, in Oppenheimer.

History isn’t always a subject for big ticket tentpole movies, and even when directors more familiar with explosions than textbooks try to engage such subject matter, the results can be rather shaky. At the same time, a writer/director like Christopher Nolan can truly make crucial moments in the fabric of our society come to life in such a manner that factual events can become something dazzling (and also frightening) to behold. The man did it before with his work on Dunkirk, and now with Oppenheimer Nolan has used the father of the atomic bomb to deliver an epic biopic that masterfully walks the line between entertaining spectacle and chilling historical reverence.

Oppenheimer

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Release Date: July 21, 2023 

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Written By: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey, Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett and Kenneth Branagh

Rating: R for some sexuality, nudity, and language.

Runtime: 180 minutes