Critics Share Strong First Reactions

Sparks are flying as critics shared their first reviews for Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Oppenheimer. 

First Oppenheimer Reviews Dropped

Coming out of the Paris premiere for Oppenheimer, critics offered up their first reactions to the film online.

Initial impressions are largely positive with a number of media members calling the wartime epic Christopher Nolan’s best.

Matt Maytum from Total Film remarked that the movie “left [him] stunned,” complimenting a “sublime central performance by Cillian Murphy:”

“‘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.”

French journalist Romain Cheyron was similarly positive, using descriptors like “striking, dense, [and] intense” while noting the movie “doesn’t let go of you, from the first to the last second:”

“‘Oppenheimer’ is, for me, the best Nolan. Striking, dense, intense. The film, via the main character, doesn’t let go of you, from the first to the last second. A powerful rise and an incredible last hour. Cillian Murphy is absolutely stunning.”

He added in a follow-up tweet, “The sound, the music, the dialogues, the emotions never stop:”

“The sound, the music, the dialogues, the emotions never stop. There is (almost) no moment of respite, we are totally transported in the spirit of Oppenheimer during the three hours that we do not see pass.”

Associated Press film writer Lindsey Bahr dubbed the film “truly a spectacular achievement,” highlighting the stellar ensemble at the heart of the film:

“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.”

She joked that it is “hard to talk about something as dense as this in something as silly as a tweet,” but Oppenheimer is “awe-inspiring:”

“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.”

Behr closed by calling the film a “once in a lifetime experience” for moviegoers:

“So many years after seeing that opening shot of ‘The Dark Knight’ in IMAX at CityWalk and not understanding what I was seeing on a technical level but feeling it, I feel very lucky to have seen ‘Oppenheimer’ in 70mm IMAX. A once in a lifetime experience.”

The Sunday Times’ Jonathan Dean referred to Nolan’s latest as a “dense, talkie, tense film” that will “rattle its audience:”

“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.”

He continued, offering some critiques about the film’s lack of female representation:

“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'”

Witer Bilge Ebiri opined that the “word that keeps coming to mind [when thinking about the film] is ‘fearsome’:”

“‘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.”

And freelance journalist Simon Thompson wrote of Cillian Murphy’s “flawless awards-worthy performance” amongst other things:

“‘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.”

Thompson carried on, commenting that there is “no fat on Oppenheimer,“ despite its lengthy runtime:

“There’s no fat on ‘Oppenheimer’ at all. It’s a long one but the pace of the rich narrative is perfect. It’s hard to single people out but Downey Jr. and Ehrenreich are insanely good and pure alchemy together. The sound and production design, as well as the score, are impeccable.”

This story is developing. Check back for updates!