During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.
For in-depth thoughts on Oppenheimer, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its theatrical debut here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Oppenheimer offers a wonderful uptick in quality over the already great accompanying Blu-Ray. Christopher Nolan is one of the handful of mainstream directors still shooting on film and the results are terrific. The natural film grain is deftly managed which allows even more detail to come out of the rich period production design. It is a treat to see different film stocks with each format being rendered to visual perfection. The texture of the picture is embraced while still looking cohesive and gorgeous. The film grain resolves well so nothing appears to swarm or feel static, and the encode remains resolute so there are no compression artifacts or anything of the sort. Skin tones appear more natural with robust amounts of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores and perspiration.
The increased range of the color spectrum is a wonder to behold. The HDR/Dolby Vision enriches the colors from already formidable to completely jaw-dropping when it comes to accuracy. The mixture of black-and-white and color footage is balanced well with a world of nuance throughout each format. There are some brilliant bursts of color in some of the environments and clothing on display throughout. The highlights in the film are more defined with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. The black levels are exceptional in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail even in the darkest spaces. This 4K UHD presentation really impresses on all fronts including strong gains in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is a standout presentation, but Universal has delivered another unforgettable transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with a knockout DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio lossless presentation that translates this world perfectly. Some may be disappointed by the lack of an Atmos track, but Nolan himself has stated he has no interest in his films being exhibited this way. Not to mention, this track is more complex than most films that cross our path with a more advanced soundscape. Dialogue is a key part of this journey and it is presented clearly without ever being overshadowed by any of the competing sonic elements. There are numerous moments in this track that are truly enveloping, capturing the complexity of a soundscape you might not expect to be so dynamic.
Sounds are properly rendered with precise directionality from the kinetic scenes to the quieter dialogue-driven moments that cause you to lean in. The score from Ludwig Göransson brings a tone to the film that is invaluable in its effectiveness, and it comes through flawlessly. The low end is engaged in ways that will leave you vibrating in your seat. The implementation of environmental sounds is executed very effectively. The mix here is impeccably rendered with nice engagement of all the channels, allowing it to stand out as one of the best releases of the year. There are optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles provided.
Special Features
- The Story of Our Time – The Making of Oppenheimer: A nearly 73-minute making-of documentary is provided here which explores the film from nearly every angle including the script, the performances, the special effects, the production design, the costumes, the score, and much more.
-
- Now I Am Become Death (7:17)
-
- The Luminaries (11:27)
-
- The Manhattan Project (16:41)
-
- The Devil of The Details (17:21)
-
- Walking A Mile (6:28)
-
- Can You Hear The Music? (6:48)
-
- We Can Perform This Miracle (6:49)
- Trailers
-
- Teaser (1:11)
-
- Trailer 2 (2:04)
-
- IMAX Exclusive Trailer (2:40)
-
- Trailer 3 (3:11)
-
- Opening Look (5:07)
- Innovations In Film – 65mm Black and White Film In Oppenheimer: A nearly nine-minute look at the development of the photographic process specifically for use in Oppenheimer.
- Meet The Press Q&A Panel – Oppenheimer: A 35-minute panel moderated by Chuck Todd featuring filmmaker Christopher Nolan, Dr. Thom Mason (Director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory) world-renowned theoretical physicist Dr. Carlo Rovelli, Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Dr. Kip Thorne, and Pulitzer Prize winner Kai Bird, co-author of the book “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.” This event gives some great historical and scientific insights into the film.
- To End All War – Oppenheimer & The Atomic Bomb: A nearly 88-minute new documentary that debuted earlier this year from NBC News Studio is provided here that explores the moral dilemmas, politics, and aftermath of Oppenheimer’s role in the development of the atomic bomb.
Final Thoughts
Oppenheimer is a premium example of a master director at the height of his powers. Christopher Nolan has already crafted many classics during his career, but the way in which you see all of his tricks finessed and perfected within this latest effort is staggering. From a craft standpoint, nearly every scene has something that will recontextualize your relationship with cinema, either from a riveting display of editing prowess to a showcase of sound design that nearly warps your brain and even the photographic process itself. Couple this with some of the finest performances you will find all year, and you have something truly unmissable. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a 5-star A/V presentation and a cavalcade of supplemental features. This is filmmaking at its best. Essential
Oppenheimer is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.