On July 21, 2023, to much anticipation, Oppenheimer, the new Christopher Nolan film was released in theaters. The movie tells the story of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, a physicist who led the Manhattan Project which produced the first atomic bomb near the end of World War II. The movie depicts much of his formative education and career as well as the theorizing, production, and implementation of the bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The movie is separated into three main parts: the formative years of Oppenheimer, the complete production of the bomb, and lastly the trial of Oppenheimer and his reputation due to communist suspicions following the use of the bomb and the end of the war.
While watching, I found the first part of the movie to be unsatisfying; it felt almost like an extraordinarily long movie trailer with scenes that were quicker and to the point and had music playing for much of it. This being said, the movie overall was incredible. The cinematography was beautiful, the writing was forceful, the plot was totally engaging, its grandeur was well articulated, and at no point did I feel dragged as one would during a three-hour movie.
Few viewers may have picked out a small detail that the producers put in during the first testing of the atomic bomb. Many will know Oppenheimer’s famous quote from the Bhagavad Gita, “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” This quote from the Hindu text refers to Vishnu revealing his true and more intimidating form in front of Prince Arjuna. Many viewers may not have noticed that after the detonation of the bomb, Oppenheimer’s actual voice recording saying this line can be heard over the scene of the explosion. In the text, Prince Arjuna is weary about fulfilling his duty and going to war and goes to Krishna (a mortal avatar of the god Vishnu). He reiterates his duty and with Arjuna still being unconvinced, Krishna reveals his true and incredibly intimidating form as Vishnu with many arms and faces. Many think that Oppenheimer’s use of the quote tries to put him into the position of Vishnu who actually says the phrase, I find a better interpretation to be that he is the prince who doesn’t want to fight or go to war but has aided it due to his actions and now beholds the consequences of what he has done.
The third section of the movie depicts Oppenheimer in an internal conflict about his role in building the bomb. He is also accused of having communist ties and much of the last part of the film depicts a hearing before the Atomic Energy Commission, in which his loyalty to the United States is questioned. He was not tried publicly nor was he charged with anything, but instead just questioned. Although not nearly as dramatic as the building and testing of the bomb, it still has some of the most interesting and intense scenes in the film.
This movie has received warranted criticism from many in more traditional and Catholic circles for its liberal use of nudity and portrayals of the sexual act. While I agree that nudity can be used to an extent in art, Oppenheimer most certainly uses it more than was necessary to exemplify a point and to portray more emotions throughout the film. Much is superfluous and can create an awkwardness among viewers for its sheer duration. As stated before, this movie lived up to its expectations with its incredible cinematic beauty and the art of storytelling. Having been out for only two months and already receiving much acclaim and praise, Oppenheimer has likely cemented itself as the movie of the year.
Born and Raised to Jewish parents in New York City, Kai Breskin is a recent convert to the Catholic Faith. A member of the Boston College class of 2026, he is studying Political Science, Philosophy, and History. His intellectual passions include Christian theology, history, and liturgical study. His hobbies include sailing, playing the piano, and singing, with a specific focus in Gregorian Chant.
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