Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie “Oppenheimer” is scheduled to release on July 21. Its first trailer was unveiled on May 8. While the audience can anticipate what is yet to come, the trailer successfully tells the personal, human story of the vast array of scientists and military personnel who worked on the Manhattan Project with Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) by illustrating their sacrifices and commitment to their nation.
The trailer for the movie opens with the crackling of dosimeters detecting radiation and sets the stage for the World War II landscape with Oppenheimer and a military officer Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) as they lead the Manhattan Project. As a part of this project, the top scientists and engineers around the United States were recruited and located in a new town set in an isolated location that would be home to these scientists and their families as they developed nuclear weapons. With high stakes, governmental pressure and everything to lose, Oppenheimer tries to keep a steady mindset while his wife Kitty (Emily Blunt) is shown in the trailer as his guide and pillar of strength and support.
There are also glimpses of the movie’s star-studded cast. Lewis Strauss is played by Robert Downey Jr., Jean Tatlock by Florence Pugh, Richard Feynman by Jack Quaid, Kenneth Bainbridge by Josh Peck and Albert Einstein by Tom Conti. This, however, is only a sliver of the movie’s amazing cast that includes Rami Malek, Gary Oldman, Dane DeHaan, Kenneth Branagh, and more. While not explicitly showcased in the trailer, these actors are believed to be playing major, pivotal characters in the movie.
Excellent shot composition and cinematography with Nolan’s writer-director signature style are immediately apparent in the trailer. The sound effects, such as the opening with the crackling of dosimeters detecting radiation and periodic drum beats increasing in intensity, creates an environment of tension and high stakes as Oppenheimer claims that he cannot completely guarantee that the bomb will not wipe out the entire world based only on theory.
Nolan is known for incorporating a unique blend of live-action footage and stunning visuals and CGI in his movies, and “Oppenheimer” seems to be no different based on the trailer. However, what sets it apart from other Nolan movies such as “Tenet,” “Interstellar” and “Inception” is the amount of extraordinary talent from the legendary actors who are part of the movie.
There are few movies that can boast a cast as strong and massive as “Oppenheimer,” with many A-list actors being affiliated with the project. While it still remains to be seen if this cast is used strategically and if the script gives each actor their moment to shine, the trailer does set up high hopes and anticipation of great performances by the actors. The trailer also does well to not reveal too much about the movie but show enough to provide the audience with relevant context and build up hype for the movie.
Based on its engaging narrative, stunning visuals and strong cast, “Oppenheimer” has the potential to be the summer’s biggest movie as it seems set to outperform other movies that are releasing around a similar time such as “Barbie,” “Gran Turismo,” “Blue Beetle” and “Meg 2: The Trench.”
Ishan Varshney is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the spring 2023 quarter. He can be reached at ivarshne@uci.edu.
