Much can be said of the movie Oppenheimer and on first viewing stands out as Nolan’s greatest work.

The official logline from the official IMDB page covers the story concisely: “The story of American scientist, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.” What it does not convey is the scope of the story, the scale of the man’s life, and the fascinating way Nolan gives us a view inside the man. Nolan doesn’t just give us this amazing story, he opens up the lead character multiple times in the film and every time, it gives us a weighty view of a man struggling with his monumental choices.

To achieve this, Nolan has used every tool in his toolbox. It is fascinating to know he made a creative choice to use no CGI. Early in the film Oppenheimer lies in bed and is seen to struggle with the abstract nature of the science that is his life – flashes of light, spinning at impossible speeds. Reminiscent of the use of light and lenses Kubrick used in 2001: A Space Odyssey. This is not an accident, nor will it be the only tip of his hat to the past master and his classic film.

The other master filmmaker Nolan seems to be channeling is the artistic ghost of Oliver Stone. His films JFK and Natural Born Killers were both stunning achievements, holding a Dostoevsky sized cast, all spinning about wildly complex stories. Nolan’s accomplishment here is no less impressive. Every co-starring character is recognizable and with very clear motivation – a word that should never appear in a film review but fits so perfectly here.

The idea of a Wildly Complex Story never so aptly defines a story as that of “Project Managing the greatest physicists (both theoretical and experimental) in building one of the most fantastical and most horrible creations of science and mankind, all while the world is burning under the heat of the Second World War.” And thankfully Nolan is up to the task. Working with author Martin Sherwin (1937-2021) and his books on the use of atomic bombs and Oppenheimer himself – most notably, “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer“. If it weren’t for the deep investigation and analysis by Sherwin, we would not have Nolan’s opus.

But it is Nolan the great composer and ringleader who saw the feature project and delivered it whole cloth to audiences. By that I mean, from the trailers to one  of the most striking and creative one-sheet movie posters in recent memory, every piece of the Oppenheimer film project is as driving as experiencing the film itself.

Not enough can be said of Oppenheimer as a conflicted man and brilliant scientist, but Nolan sure gives it the old college try! The man had large appetites that could be seen as addictions (smoking included). And he was aware of the path that his knowledge of physics would take humanity. We still live in Oppenheimer’s shadow – the threat of ultimate destruction of humanity.

Oppenheimer, one of the very first to understand the enormity of the science and the ramifications of the final product, is shown at the end of the film as a much older man. And with this there is one more unmistakeable nod by Nolan to Kubrick and 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is quite the reference and a statement about how experiences, knowledge, and vision can change a man – and hopefully for humanity, in ways that are nothing but wonderful.