Oppenheimer

From the movie Napoleon

Today, Wednesday, international cinema halls will witness the start of the screening of the epic film “Napoleon” by international director Ridley Scott.

The film had previously caused a stir among critics, who accused Scott of committing historical inaccuracies, while the latter did not care about their reactions, stressing his interest in “the visual vision more than the written word.”

“Napoleon” appears only a few months after “Oppenheimer,” as both films are biographical, one of which tells the story of the physicist Oppenheimer, who contributed to the development of the nuclear bomb, and the other tells the story of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

But why did these two films appear at this particular time?

Coinciding with the major escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which realigned the eastern and western camps, the release of the film “Oppenheimer” was announced.

The film came at the height of talk about the possibilities of a new nuclear war, as it discussed the moral conflict of the developer of the nuclear bomb, as if recalling the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that might occur if it was used, at the same time that it tries to exonerate the United States from being the first to open the door wide. to nuclear threats.

In contrast to his approach, director Christophe Nolan presented in “Oppenheimer” an autobiography, relying on dialogue as the basis of his plot, as well as minute details that capture even facial expressions, taking the risk of relying on the IMAX camera for this goal.

Nolan surprised his fans by choosing Irish actor Cillian Murphy as the hero of his film, moving him from a second-tier star to a first-tier star.

The film “Napoleon” by director Ridley Scott comes in the midst of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which is witnessing a decline in the European political role and a decline in American influence in global decisions, as if searching for some victory that has been forgotten by history.

Many of the lines between the films “Napoleon” and “Oppenheimer” are similar, reflecting a hidden under-the-table rivalry between the two directors, who already enjoy international recognition.

The use of the IMAX camera is the most striking thing in Scott’s film, similar to Nolan’s use of the same type of camera. It is also an attempt by Ridley Scott to play visually in the film, to create a cinematic epic more than a historical one.

Like Nolan, Ridley Scott decided to make a biographical film, through which he revives the biography of the French Emperor.

He also chose actor Joaquin Phoenix, who is living his best days after his exceptional starring role in the movie “Joker”, to move from a second actor to a front-row star.

But the disagreement between the two directors is Nolan’s focus on dialogue and small details, while Ridley Scott relied on the visual game and wars, and even set the age of attendance in cinema halls, due to the presence of violent scenes.

Global revival

Despite this, world cinema is witnessing a revival in these times, reinforced by the movie “Napoleon”, with its huge budget, which is bound to arouse the appetite of many fans of historical films, and those who are passionate about the character of Bonaparte.

This year, cinema was restored to its position, after a setback it had suffered in recent years, especially with the “Corona” pandemic, thanks to a number of important films such as “Mission Impossible 7,” “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “The Nun,” and finally “Napoleon.” “.