‘Oppenheimer’ may never hit theaters in Japan

“Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan’s latest film, hasn’t made it to the big screen in Japan, and perhaps never will. As memes of Cillian Murphy (who plays physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer) and Margot Robbie (“Barbie”) took over social media in the West, the country paid tribute to the 78th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Over there, Nolan’s film causes consternation, according to The Economist.

For those in a hurry:

Despite this, some in Japan want “Oppenheimer” to be released there, which is the third largest market for cinema, behind the US and China. Anti-nuclear activist Tanaka Miho, for example, says the film offers “an opportunity for people around the world to think about the legacy of the bombings.”

With the war between Russia and Ukraine seemingly far from over, the issue of nuclear disarmament is still pressing. So much so that the secretary general of the United Nations, António Guterres, lamented that “the drums of nuclear war are still beating” during his statement, read at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.

‘Oppenheimer’ and controversy

The atomic bomb has been dropped and the atmosphere at the Los Alamos laboratory in the United States is jubilant. J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist responsible for creating the weapon, appears before his enthusiastic colleagues.

It is too early to tell what the results of this bombardment will be. But I bet the Japanese didn’t like it.

Talk about Oppenheimer in the film of the same name, directed by Christopher Nolan

An estimated 210,000 people died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And some 113,000 people who were exposed to radiation from the bombings are still alive.

However, “Oppenheimer” focuses more on the perspective of the scientist and less on the destruction caused by the bombs. And he quickly and ambiguously explores the scientist’s regret about this, especially after the bombing.

Up to the release of this note, the worldwide box office of “Oppenheimer” had exceeded US$550 million (approximately R$2.6 billion). Despite its controversies, the film is currently the highest-grossing World War II-related film.

The post “Oppenheimer” may never reach theaters in Japan first appeared on Olhar Digital.

Source: Olhar Digital

Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.