So, you’ve decided to watch Oppenheimer. Congratulations! Welcome to what promises to be the movie event of the summer.
In an entertainment world where fewer people are inclined to get out of their sweatpants and homes, Nolan might be the most bankable director in Hollywood. He puts butts in the theatre seats by making big movies about big ideas. Yes, some called his previous film Tenet a flop but that was released in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.
Now that we’re back to normal(-ish), most anticipate Nolan to regain his box-office mojo. Oppenheimer might be the flick that’s too big to fail. It has a stellar cast. It’s about the making of the atomic bomb. It’s being released at the peak of the summer movie season. As long as it’s not tripped up by Barbie, this could wind up being Nolan’s highest-grossing film since Interstellar (2014).
Before watching this three-hour epic, there are certain things to know about the Nolan experience, especially for the uninitiated. We here at The Comeback are here to help. So, here’s a cheat sheet of things to be aware of to get you ready:
A key female character might die/already be dead
Nolan has frequently used the death of a woman as a plot device. It’s a source of motivation for his protagonists, most notably in Memento, The Prestige, and Inception. You could argue over the merits and reasons for doing this. But when Nolan is at his best, it does give valid reasons behind his male leads’ obsessions. Memento isn’t believable without Leonard Shelby trying to find justice for the attack on his wife. And in The Prestige, the accidental drowning of Robert Angier’s wife gives deeper meaning to his rivalry with Alfred Borden. Nolan has moved away from this trope in his recent works to his credit. In Tenet, Kat Barton (shockingly) lives.
Be prepared for morally ambiguous characters
To borrow a quote from a completely different film, Zero Effect, “There aren’t any good guys. You realize that, don’t you? There aren’t evil guys and innocent guys. It’s just a bunch of guys.” The same logic applies to Nolan’s characters. Don’t expect clear-cut heroes and villains. Nolan isn’t interested in embraceable personalities. It’s more important for the audience to see them as pensive and conflicted. That’s what makes them fascinating. In Insomnia, Will Dormer is a cop trying to do what he sees as the right thing but makes awful choices. Under the right circumstances, “good guys” are capable of doing bad things.
Can’t hear what the actors are saying? You’re not alone
Your ears aren’t failing you. It’s not time to visit an otolaryngologist. There were a lot of mind-blowing and genre-defining things about Inception. However, one negative is that it introduced Nolan to the strategy of assaulting our senses with overpowering sound. Yes, audio effects can intensify the mood. However, it should never overwhelm the dialogue. Unfortunately, Nolan has fallen into a pattern of caring more about sheer volume rather than whether or not the audience can hear the actors talk. It’s maddening because Nolan is a gifted screenwriter with a wry sense of humor. But subtleties are missed when you have no idea what words are being spoken.
Confused about the plot? Don’t be embarrassed. You’re not alone
Nolan loves non-linear storytelling. Sometimes it’s easy to follow (Memento). Sometimes it’s a labyrinth (Tenet). And sometimes even the actors don’t understand the plot. For that reason, audiences can feel frustrated while watching. It’s important. however, to focus more on the experience of the film. In Nolan’s defense, you don’t hyper-examine the plot holes in a Mission: Impossible flick. You’re just going along for the ride. In an ideal movie, everything would make sense at the end. At its core, Memento is a simple film that unfolds in reverse. The Prestige is more complex, but the plot twist at the end makes the occasional confusion worth it, and you want to watch it again. Most Nolan films are more enjoyable on the rewatch.
Watch out for Michael Caine
Find someone who loves you the way Nolan loves Michael Caine. It’s no surprise, certain directors and actors are forever linked (Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro/ Wes Anderson and Bill Murray/ Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson). Nolan has directed 12 movies. Caine appears in 8. This bromance started with Batman Begins (2005) and hasn’t slowed down. Caine, one of the most prolific actors of his generation, is 90 years old. And yet, Nolan still finds interesting ways to use his talents. Caine’s best performance is as John Cutter, Angier’s mentor in The Prestige.
In conclusion, will Oppenheimer live up to the hype? Nolan’s best films are Memento, The Prestige, and The Dark Knight. It seems unlikely that his latest feature will achieve that lofty status. But it doesn’t have to. Let’s just enjoy this master craftsman take the ordinary and make it something extraordinary.
