Will 'Oppenheimer' split audiences like an atom?

Christopher Nolan is back with an explosive new film based on the life of a man who changed the world for better or worse.

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan and based on the book "American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer" written by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin, "Oppenheimer" proves once again why Nolan is the king of truly epic filmmaking.

The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.

Trailer courtesy of Universal Pictures

Cillian Murphy plays the lead here in a story that deals with the historic creation of the atomic bomb and the emotions of those responsible for its creation.

Murphy's performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer is understated and powerful. He's one of the most talented yet underrated actors working today. 

This is his sixth film with Nolan and a rare chance for him to shine bright as the leading man.

The film shows Oppenheimer as the complex man he was. He was a genius, a womanizer, a family man, cocky, insecure at times, thoughtful, and tormented by the aftermath of the bomb's use in Japan.

The way in which Nolan lets the story unravel is fascinating in every way. The film, at three hours long, flies by. Even though the film is mostly exposition with beautiful imagery, it works.

It works because it's Nolan.

It works because of its cast that's been honing their skills for decades.

The film jumps between different time periods, starting with "Oppy", as his friends call him, in college restlessly dreaming about quantum physics.

At times it jumps to a tense government courtroom with Robert Downey Jr.'s intense portrayal of Lewis Strauss, which is in black and white whereas the rest of the film is in color.

It follows the events leading up to the Manhattan Project, gathering the team of scientists, the Trinity Test, (a practical special effect without CGI), and the aftermath of the bomb drop on Japan.

It goes into the smear campaign that was pushed against Oppenheimer, in which they attacked his credibility due to connections with communists and his progressive ideas, including his disdain for nuclear weapons.

A truly inspiring and tragic story of the world right before the atomic age and the lingering questions in the world we live in today.

I could go on for paragraphs and paragraphs about this amazing film. The cast is stacked with actors at the top of their game.

Some performance highlights include Alden Ehrenreich, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Dane DeHaan, Jack Quad, Josh Peck, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, and David Krumholtz.

Every single performance is fantastic.

One criticism that Nolan receives often is how quiet and hushed his actors say their lines and how the sound mix makes it inaudible.

With this film, it's not a problem.

The composer, Ludwig Göransson, knocks it out of the park. He's returned to work with Nolan after 2020's "TENET".

The sound design and music have to be the best in any Nolan film to date, in my opinion. It conveys the magnitude of the Manhattan Project and the surreal nature of quantum mechanics perfectly with the torment that Oppenheimer felt.

I know my feelings aren't split on this film. It's not looking to be a bomb at the box office either.

See it soon. And see it on the biggest screen you can.