James Cameron calls Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer a ‘moral cop-out'

The Guardian

2 days ago

James Cameron has described Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan's multi-Oscar-winning 2023 biopic about the atomic scientist Robert Oppenheimer, a 'moral cop-out'.
Speaking to Deadline about his forthcoming project Ghosts of Hiroshima, about the effects of the bomb in that city, Cameron said he disagreed with Nolan's narrative choices. 'It's interesting what he stayed away from,' said Cameron. 'Look, I love the film-making, but I did feel that it was a bit of a moral cop-out.'
In Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy stars as the scientist who led the development and design of the atomic bomb during the second world war. The film covers its inception, testing and deployment in Japan in 1945, when the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the deaths of as many as a quarter of a million people by the end of that year – as well as hastening the end of the conflict.
The film depicts Oppenheimer after the war as increasingly wracked by the legacy of his invention, and haunted by images of suffering. However, Cameron said he was among those viewers who felt the film did not go far enough in depicting the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
'It's not like Oppenheimer didn't know the effects,' he said. 'I don't like to criticise another film-maker's film, but there's only one brief moment where he sees some charred bodies in the audience, and then the film goes on to show how it deeply moved him.
'But I felt that it dodged the subject. I don't know whether the studio or Chris felt that that was a third rail that they didn't want to touch, but I want to go straight at the third rail. I'm just stupid that way.'
Oppenheimer was released in 2023 and won Oscars for best picture, director, leading actor (for Murphy), supporting actor (for Robert Downey Jr), and three others. It also made $975m (£720m) at the box office.
At the time of its release, Nolan responded to criticism similar to that put forward by Cameron by explaining he wanted to represent Oppenheimer's subjective experience. 'It was always my intention to rigidly stick to that,' he told Variety. 'Oppenheimer heard about the bombing at the same time that the rest of the world did.
'I wanted to show somebody who is starting to gain a clearer picture of the unintended consequences of his actions. It was as much about what I don't show as what I show.'
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Deadline's Mike Fleming put a rhetorical rebuttal to Cameron, saying Nolan may have reasoned a different film-maker would tell the story of the victims of the bombings in Japan. 'Okay, I'll put up my hand,' said Cameron. 'I'll do it, Chris. No problem. You come to my premiere and say nice things.'
Cameron's film, which has not yet begun formal production, will be an adaptation of Charles Pellegrino's forthcoming nonfiction book Ghosts of Hiroshima, which brings together testimonies from victims and survivors of the attacks.
Before then he will release the latest Avatar film, Fire and Ash. His first entry in that franchise is the highest-grossing film of all time, while the sequel is the third. Avengers: Endgame is the second highest-grossing film, but Cameron's 1997 disaster movie Titanic is the fourth.