Mark Kermode reviews Oppenheimer - Kermode and Mayo's Take

I really enjoyed the scenes of people talking in rooms because the dialogue was well-written and took its time. I was relieved there was no attempt to recreate Hiroshima/Nagasaki, with the movie focusing mostly on Oppenheimer's experience. I found the narrative structure quite easy to follow - a relief after Tenet. The 3 hours flew by. Excellent film.

I’m a simple person, I judge films on if they can make me feel a genuine strong emotion. I felt a pit in my stomach from the run up to the trinity test until 20 minutes after the film. Loved it.

It did impact me emotionally. I thought that Cillian Murphy did show that almost immediately in the film. His whole demeanor has changed and not only because of the hearings, but because of the moral implications. I also thought that the choice of not showing but rather implying the disaster of the bomb was creatively the right choice. Wonderful in every aspect. I was emotionally distraught and intellectually challenged and aesthetically stunned. Cillian’s face as Oppenheimer after the bomb still hunts me, and I think it was intended that way. A cinematic masterpiece.

I think the choice to have the later events in black and white could also be a nod to the 1954 Time Magazine cover in which Oppenheimer, having just lost his security clearance, was depicted in black and white, in contrast to the 1948 Time Magazine cover where he was depicted in color.

The film is great, go see it in the theater so we get more actually good and mature films made with decent budgets.

Cillian murphy was sensational. But gary oldmans 3 minutes on screen was bloody masterful!

The black and white scenes were visual cues to tell the audience that what we’re seeing is from Strauss’ perspective. This was obvious to me because there were a handful of points where scenes we had already seen in black and white are briefly being shown again when Oppenheimer’s present and perspective have caught up to Strauss’. For example, the scene where the AEC are talking about Russia testing nuclear weapons and spies within Los Alamos. We see the exact moment of someone picking up the box of flowers in the middle of the table in black and white and a while later on in colour

I found it very emotional. When the bomb goes off, I got teary because you realize the horror that was unleashed.

I loved this film. Yes it is long but I found it gripping throughout. It looks amazing but the sound is just incredible. Definitely one to see on the big screen.

This movie made me cry twice especially during the adoration cheering scenes (not happy tears, despair) and angry as I left the theatre. If you understand the history (read the book) and the trajectory of military conflicts from then to today. Nothing has changed and it’s incredibly moving and sad. Nolan is making a statement in the world we live in today as well. But after the film you feel joy at having experienced one of the greatest movies ever made. It’s a masterpiece.

I found it hugely emotional - in fact I was a complete barrel of tears at the end. The opening scenes did a better job than any film I’ve ever seen of conveying the beauty of physics, in a way I totally identified with him. At every stage of the journey, I followed the reasoning behind his decisions, and suspect I may have done the same in that situation. Then his conclusion hit me in the face like a tonne of bricks. My God, that hurt.

This film is an incredible achievement. I was disturbed and moved throughout snd constantly engaged by the dialogue and freeflow structure. The trinity test as well as Oppenheimer's speech after the bomb are perhaps Nolan's best work. It'll be tough to follow this one up.

It's 2 in 1. It's a story of achievement, regret and pride, and a political thriller that nails you to your chair. 3 hours, but seems much shorter, because you are gripped. The cast is amazing, everyone perfect in their role. And hats down to Cillian.

I found the film absolutely engrossing, the sound was amazing, It made me extremely emotional, it was breathtaking in every way!

I haven't seen the film yet, but the book, (American Prometheus), is brilliant.

An incredible film, an incredible performance from Murphy & an incredible score.

I was shocked by cillian, he became Oppenheimer. If that’s not an Oscar, well let’s wait for Joaquin, but I think it will be him, and maybe also Oscar for best supporting R Robert D J

Some incredible talent involved with this film 👏

Kermode just said what I think of all of the Nolan films I have seen suffer from a lack of emotional connection.

The power and talent of Christopher Nolan to be able to get a film like this made on this scale and have it be an almost certain summer blockbuster.