Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is worth the wait, but is also lengthy and intense

In the run-up to its release on July 21, Oppenheimer had created an incredible buzz worldwide. Its clash with Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie, which also releases on the same date, seems to have further intensified that buzz. The battle of the two Hollywood biggies, dubbed as ‘Barbenheimer’, has witnessed massive booking in theatres in India. That’s something to cheer about. It dispels the post-pandemic gloom that those in movie business have been dealing with.

Oppenheimer is based on the Pulitzer-winning book, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. It is adapted for screen by Nolan, who is universally acknowledged as one of the passionate filmmakers with propensity for brain-twisters, immersive storytelling, grand scale and spectacle. In his career spanning nearly two-and-a-half decades, this is the first time Nolan has directed a biopic.

At CinemaCon earlier this year, Nolan described Oppenheimer as the “most important person who ever lived. He made the world we live in, for better or for worse.” The film closely follows the scientist, with the camera mostly focusing on the lean and pipe-smoking Murphy as the narrative explores Oppenheimer’s brilliance, ambitions, vulnerabilities and conflicts. Murphy is ably supported by the cast of remarkable actors including Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh and Rami Malek.

Many have already declared Oppenheimer as Nolan’s best work so far and the movie as one of the best of this decade. While the film is engrossing, it can be challenging for the viewers. It is lengthy and intense. It does not take the easy way out of explaining everything. Some amount of familiarity with Oppenheimer’s work and the troubles he went through after the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, might be helpful.

When the audience at the Mumbai screening walked out of the auditorium close to 1.20 am, they seemed to have given the big-screen spectacle – already emerged as Nolan’s highest-rated film on all time on Rotten Tomatoes – a thumbs-up. In their excitement of watching the blockbusters before its theatrical release, they seemed to have set aside their concerns regarding the rains or finding a transport to return home.