Oppenheimer first reactions call it one of Christopher Nolan’s best films yet: ‘Left me sobbing through the end credits’

Matt Maytum, deputy editor of Total Film, said Oppenheimer left him “stunned” and called it an “epic” historical drama. “#Oppenheimer left me stunned: a character study on the grandest scale, with a sublime central performance by Cillian Murphy. An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow.”

#Oppenheimer left me stunned: a character study on the grandest scale, with a sublime central performance by Cillian Murphy. An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow

— Matt Maytum (@mattmaytum) July 11, 2023

According to Associated Press film writer Lindsey Bahr, the film benefits heavily from “nuanced” performances across the board. Bahr said that it’s hard to condense something “as dense” as Oppenheimer in a tweet, but Nolan’s latest is a “serious, philosophical, adult drama” that’s as “tense and exciting” as his war drama Dunkirk.

“Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is truly a spectacular achievement, 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 just for a scene. It’s hard to talk about something as dense as this in something as silly as a tweet or thread but Oppenheimer really is a serious, philosophical, adult drama that’s as tense and exciting as Dunkirk. And the big moment – THAT MOMENT – is awe inspiring.”

Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is truly a spectacular achievement, 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 just for a scene.

— Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr) July 11, 2023

Telegraph film critic Robbie Collin tweeted that Oppenheimer is a “total knockout”. “Am torn between being all coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it’s a total knockout that split my brain open like a twitchy plutonium nucleus and left me sobbing through the end credits like I can’t even remember what else.”

Vulture film critic Bilge Ebiri called heaped praise on Oppenheimer and said it is best described in one word as “fearsome”. His tweet read, “OPPENHEIMER is…incredible. The word that keeps coming to mind is ‘fearsome.’ A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way.”

OPPENHEIMER is…incredible. The word that keeps coming to mind is “fearsome.” A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way.

— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) July 11, 2023

Josh Horowitz, host of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, tweeted that he has already seen the film twice, and called Oppenheimer “impeccable immersive filmmaking of the highest order”.

“OPPENHEIMER is one of if not Nolan’s best work. And that comes from a huge Nolan admirer. I’ve see it twice. Impeccable immersive filmmaking of the highest order. Cillian Murphy gets the role he deserves. In love with Downey’s work. This one demands your attention,” his tweet read.

Jonathan Dean of The Sunday Times dubbed Oppenheimer as an “audacious, inventive, complex film”, which is “partly about the bomb, mostly about how doomed we are”. “Totally absorbed in OPPENHEIMER, a dense, talkie, tense film partly about the bomb, mostly about how doomed we are. Happy summer! Murphy is good, but the support essential: Damon, Downey Jr & Ehrenreich even bring gags. An audacious, inventive, complex film to rattle its audience,” the tweet read.

Dean, however, also noted that the downer in Oppenheimer is the way women in the film are treated. “The downside? The women are badly served – Emily Blunt only once gets out of her stressed mother role. But it’s straight into my Nolan top three, alongside Memento & The Prestige.”

Film and TV journalist Simon Thompson tweeted that Oppenheimer is “powerful stuff” with a “flawless” performance by Cillian Murphy. “#Oppenheimer is powerful stuff. Cillian Murphy’s flawless awards worthy performance is next level. Every player in this rich ensemble cast is at the top of their game. Christopher Nolan’s haunting opus is remarkable and Hoyte van Hoytema‘s execution of his vision is breathtaking.”

Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist wrote, “I was skeptical, but Oppenheimer has stuck with me since seeing it last week. Yes, it’s 3 hours, but in a dense-Scorsese way and the last 20 minutes (why Emily Blunt clearly took the role) bring its three narrative threads to a moving conclusion.”

Oppenheimer is set to release on July 21, when it will have a box office face-off with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.