Subtle Details You Missed in Oppenheimer

The new biopic Oppenheimer hit theaters this month, portraying the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his involvement in the Manhattan Project during World War II. Director Christopher Nolan is known for packing his films with hidden details and subtle nods.

Here are few small things you may have overlooked on your first viewing of Oppenheimer:

1. The voice at the beginning of the film reciting the Bhagavad Gita is actually Oppenheimer himself. The real Oppenheimer was known to frequently quote the Hindu scripture, as he did when recalling the Trinity nuclear test he witnessed.
2. Fusion vs Fission — There seems to be some clever symbolic parallels between Oppenheimer and Robert Downey Jr.’s characters. Oppenheimer is constantly plagued by self-doubt and ethical debates, his personality threatening to split and fracture inwardly. This mirrors the process of nuclear fission that he unleashes. Meanwhile, Downey’s charismatic, energetic General Groves pushes recklessly forward like an unstoppable force, reflecting the fused power of a hydrogen bomb. Their contrasts and clashes spark the dramatic reactions that drive the story forward.
3. During scenes at Los Alamos, various scientists and technicians can be seen writing left-handed. This is likely a nod to the high number of left-handed scientists that worked…