by Christian Sanjuan and Sebastian Arritola
Cillian Murphy–and an array of renowned actors–are back. The upcoming “Oppenheimer,” directed by the infamous Christopher Nolan, is soon to be released, and fans and critics alike are ecstatic. Nolan has been credited with directing some of the most beloved films over the course of the last two decades, such as “The Dark Knight” and “Interstellar”; even some of his more obscure films–”Memento,” for instance–gain much traction in the cinematic space over time. However, while the vast majority await its eventual release, others look to it as the redemption for 2023’s current catalog of films.
Filmgoers have regarded this year’s outings as “underwhelming” to say the least. There have been some stellar films, such as ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse,” but some weren’t so fortunate. DC’s latest endeavor was “The Flash,” ensuring an expansive outlook into new, alternative takes at their characters, as well as some old. But their efforts fell short, as controversy revolving around Ezra Miller and poorly-adapted CGI effects left an unpleasant taste in audiences’ mouths. Similarly, the latest foray into the Indiana Jones series, “Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny,” followed the same fate: Harrison Ford’s age didn’t resonate well with fans, which is evident by the box office numbers, as was with“The Flash." So, where does “Oppenheimer” come into play?
The movie is a war drama retelling the invention of the nuclear bomb by one J. Robert Oppenheimer. Alongside the events leading up to the creation and after the first detonations will be a story of how one man's hubris led to the death of hundreds of thousands and changed the course of history forever.
Yet the question stands, how effective are the trailers at establishing this premise, and how effective were they at building up the suspension and hype surrounding the release of this highly anticipated movie?
There is quite a lot to unpack here with this trailer, especially when it comes to Oppenheimer's expressions that we have seen throughout.
One thing that this trailer gets right in regards to visuals is the motif of fire and explosions used repeatedly throughout the trailer as it not only gives us a sense of danger but also teases us of the destructive power of Oppenheimer's creation.
Another thing that the trailer nails is the repeated use of jump cuts between the destruction seen by the fire and explosions to the creation of the nuclear bomb, once again teasing us at just how deadly the weapon. The repeated use of Oppenheimer himself throughout the trailer is also done brilliantly as the expressions he displays throughout the video are ones of sadness, anxiousness and fear, perhaps as he realizes that what he has created will be used to end the lives of many.
Overall, the visuals of this trailer tell us a story of one man’s creation potentially bringing about mass amounts of destruction as he regrets what he has invented but accepts the inevitability of his creation’s detonation.
All of the dialogue heard in the trailer is entirely spoken by Oppenheimer himself. Here is a full transcript of what exactly he says in the suspenseful video:
“We imagine a future, and our imaginings horrify us.”
“They won’t fear it until they understand it, and they won’t understand it until they’ve used it.“
“Theory will take you only so far.”
“I don’t know if we can be trusted with such a weapon, but we have no choice. Is anyone, ever going to tell the truth about what’s happening here?”
The trailer is quite lacking in dialogue but it makes up for what it lacks with the weight and gravitas in what exactly is said. The dialogue is not only prophetic but very apocalyptic in the sense that it truly shows how much Oppenheimer fears what he has created. His sense of anxiety when he wonders if humanity can be trusted with a weapon that can end the world just shows the stakes of what exactly he has done and what new terrifying future may be in store for the future of mankind.
Overall, the weight of the dialogue spoken does an excellent job of building up suspense and anticipation leading up to the release as it just shows how high the stakes are.
The latest trailer, shown below, for Nolan’s blockbuster, showcased a multitude of information, featuring the inclusion of Albert Einstein and new plot details.
Needless to say, the "Oppenheimer" hype is real.