I'm a big Nolan fan. Maybe this one just wasn't for me.
This movie was promoted as the story of the invention of the bomb. We were told we should see it on the biggest screen. Go out of your way for an IMAX 70mm projection if you can, or at least get a regular 70mm or Laser IMAX.
It turns out, that while Nolan's visuals still look good in this movie, there's nothing breathtaking that warrants those formats. It's like a 1 Michelin star, if your local theater has those formats, might as well go for it, but that's probably true for any movie.
It also turns out that this is mostly the story of political vendettas and the marketing of bombs exploding had little to do with the movie, the whole trailer is really just one scene. I guess there wasn't a more interesting way to approach the Los Alamos part of the story. What could he do, focus on the scientific challenges? Not really the best source for a story.
We get the review of Oppenheimer for a security clearance, which leads to his retelling of his history in flashbacks, which is why the story of creating the bomb is told as well as his personal relationships (I guess because she was a communist party member, the character played by Pugh is naked all the time, not sure why that was necessary) while at the same time we get a much shorter story of the confirmation hearings of Strauss, with a few flashbacks to a couple of meetings he was involved in with Oppenheimer .
It's a political drama, with not much drama. There isn't enough emotional connection to the characters to care about it. Will Oppenheimer lose his security clearance? Will Strauss get served by karma at his cabinet confirmation hearing? Who cares? If you're not invested in any of the characters, why would you care about what happens to them in the end?
Maybe this is the best one can do with the source material. Maybe the mistake was wanting to tell that particular story. Maybe better writing and staying away from the gimmick of two timelines of flashbacks intersecting could've told the story better. Maybe it's time for Nolan to let go of those gimmicks in his movies and trust his subject matter.
Unlike previous Nolan movies, I won't be thinking about this movie much or wanting to watch it again to understand it better. There's just nothing else in there.
For me, this isn't one of his top movies. Technically it's great, the acting is also great, the writing and editing just isn't there.
Also, IMAX is great, but not every movie benefits from it. This one really didn't. Maybe if Nolan wasn't so focused on the technical side he'd be able to get me emotionally invested in this story.
Edit:
I had to come back and add a comparable movie that does a much better job and shows you can tell this story with real tension.
The Imitation Game.
A movie about a genius trying to solve a problem during the same war. That topic is just as science heavy and the movie goes into his personal struggles, relationships and the personal consequences he suffered because of the politics of the time.
The tension is focused on the task of breaking the German code. Not on what will happen to the lead characters years later. It's a lot easier to be invested in that (even though we know who won that war) vs. The results of some political hearing.
This movie was promoted as the story of the invention of the bomb. We were told we should see it on the biggest screen. Go out of your way for an IMAX 70mm projection if you can, or at least get a regular 70mm or Laser IMAX.
It turns out, that while Nolan's visuals still look good in this movie, there's nothing breathtaking that warrants those formats. It's like a 1 Michelin star, if your local theater has those formats, might as well go for it, but that's probably true for any movie.
It also turns out that this is mostly the story of political vendettas and the marketing of bombs exploding had little to do with the movie, the whole trailer is really just one scene. I guess there wasn't a more interesting way to approach the Los Alamos part of the story. What could he do, focus on the scientific challenges? Not really the best source for a story.
We get the review of Oppenheimer for a security clearance, which leads to his retelling of his history in flashbacks, which is why the story of creating the bomb is told as well as his personal relationships (I guess because she was a communist party member, the character played by Pugh is naked all the time, not sure why that was necessary) while at the same time we get a much shorter story of the confirmation hearings of Strauss, with a few flashbacks to a couple of meetings he was involved in with Oppenheimer .
It's a political drama, with not much drama. There isn't enough emotional connection to the characters to care about it. Will Oppenheimer lose his security clearance? Will Strauss get served by karma at his cabinet confirmation hearing? Who cares? If you're not invested in any of the characters, why would you care about what happens to them in the end?
Maybe this is the best one can do with the source material. Maybe the mistake was wanting to tell that particular story. Maybe better writing and staying away from the gimmick of two timelines of flashbacks intersecting could've told the story better. Maybe it's time for Nolan to let go of those gimmicks in his movies and trust his subject matter.
Unlike previous Nolan movies, I won't be thinking about this movie much or wanting to watch it again to understand it better. There's just nothing else in there.
For me, this isn't one of his top movies. Technically it's great, the acting is also great, the writing and editing just isn't there.
Also, IMAX is great, but not every movie benefits from it. This one really didn't. Maybe if Nolan wasn't so focused on the technical side he'd be able to get me emotionally invested in this story.
Edit:
I had to come back and add a comparable movie that does a much better job and shows you can tell this story with real tension.
The Imitation Game.
A movie about a genius trying to solve a problem during the same war. That topic is just as science heavy and the movie goes into his personal struggles, relationships and the personal consequences he suffered because of the politics of the time.
The tension is focused on the task of breaking the German code. Not on what will happen to the lead characters years later. It's a lot easier to be invested in that (even though we know who won that war) vs. The results of some political hearing.