Christopher Nolan has directed a good number of critically acclaimed films over the years, earning him a sterling reputation both among fans and critics. However, it is his most recent project that broke another personal Rotten Tomatoes record.
Oppenheimer is opening this weekend and is looking to be a certified summer blockbuster. The movie is set to go head-to-head with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. The weekend has been dubbed by moviegoers as Barbenheimer, a clash of two very contrasting films.
The upcoming film stars Cillian Murphy as physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. The movie chronicles the life of the scientist as he becomes a part of the Manhattan Project. The group of scientists is responsible for ushering in the Atomic Age by developing the first nuclear bomb.
Rotten Tomatoes recently released the official critics’ review scores for Oppenheimer. Nolan is known for consistently producing films that have been praised by audiences and critics, but it looks like Oppenheimer is taking the cake.
The epic biographical thriller received a critics’ score of 96% which is the highest-rated movie by Nolan. The 2008 superhero blockbuster, The Dark Knight, previously held the director’s personal record with a score of 94%. The increase of 2% may not be a big deal for most but is very significant considering the movies that Nolan has directed.
Oppenheimer needs to have 80 reviews to be officially Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes. The movie currently has 75, but fans can expect the movie to be Certified Fresh very soon as additional reviews, likely heaping more praise on the film, roll in.
The movie’s score is much more impressive when considering how high Nolan’s other movies have scored. Among his filmography of directed films, nine others have garnered a Rotten Tomatoes score above 80%.
- Following (1998) – 82%
- Memento (2000) – 93%
- Insomnia (2002) – 92%
- Batman Begins (2004) – 84%
- The Dark Knight (2008) – 94%
- Inception (2010) – 87%
- The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – 87%
- Dunkirk (2017) – 92%
- Oppenheimer (2023) – 96%
The director had three movies that didn’t quite reach the 80% threshold but still received positive reviews. However, two of the three have made it IMDB’s 50 greatest films of all time (Prestige and Interstellar).
- The Prestige (2006) – 76%
- Interstellar (2014) – 73%
- Tenet (2020) – 69%
Oppenheimer may be Nolan’s greatest masterpiece based on first impressions by critics. However, it may be highly subjective and is dependent on the viewer. Nolan has previously said that he will continue to make movies and it may still be too early to call Oppenheimer his magnum opus.
Oppenheimer opens in theaters on July 21, 2023.
