“Oppenheimer” First Reactions: Christopher Nolan’s Historical Epic is Genuinely Mind-Blowing

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer had its world premiere in Paris last night, which means the first reactions to the film are exploding all over the internet. Many are calling it Nolan’s most assured, mature work yet and one of the best films he’s ever made.

New York Magazine‘s Bilge Ebiri says, “The word that keeps coming to mind is fearsome,” the Telegraph‘s Robbie Collin calls it “a total knockout,” Total Film‘s Matt Maytum says Oppenheimer “left me stunned: a character study on the grandest scale,” Cinemablend‘s Sean O’Connell says “the entire cast is outstanding, and while the history is DENSE, it’s Nolan’s most streamlined and accessible [film],” while the Los Angeles Times’s Kenneth Turan says it’s “arguably Nolan’s most impressive work yet.”

It’s a film that Nolan says is centered on one of history’s most crucial figures. “Like it not, J. Robert Oppenheimer is the most important person who ever lived,” Nolan said in Las Vegas at this year’s CinemaCon. “He made the world we live in — for better or for worse. And his story has to be seen to be believed, and I am certainly hopeful audiences will come to your theaters to see it on the biggest screens possible.”

Oppenheimer tracks the United States’ efforts to create the atomic bomb, focusing on the titular J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy, coming in for rave reviews for his performance) and his work during the Manhattan Project. Nolan surrounded the excellent Murphy with an equally excellent cast, including Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Alden Ehrenreich, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Gary Oldman, Josh Hartnett, and David Dastmalchian. Nolan’s crew includes his longtime cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, production designer Ruth De Jong, and composer Ludwig Göransson.

Let’s take a peek at those first reactions. Oppenheimer hits theaters on July 21.

For more on Oppenheimer,  check out these stories:

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” IMAX Film Prints Are 11 Miles Long & Weigh 600 Pounds

How Christopher Nolan Utilized IMAX Cameras for “Oppenheimer”

New “Oppenheimer” Trailer Reveals Explosive Footage in Christopher Nolan’s Historical Thriller

Featured image: Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in OPPENHEIMER, written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

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The Credits is an online magazine that tells the story behind the story to celebrate our large and diverse creative community. Focusing on profiles of below-the-line filmmakers, The Credits celebrates the often uncelebrated individuals who are indispensable to the films and TV shows we love.