To be uncomfortable with the film Oppenheimer?

[LKM23]

I haven't seen the film, I'm sure it's a brilliant thriller and will be a Blockbuster hit. I don't think I'll watch it though, it makes my feel really uncomfortable.

It feels like a man who at the end of the day killed thousands of people and damaged millions is being celebrated and turned into a hero.

I lived in Japan for 10 years in my twenties. I visited both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and spent a lot of time with people both directly and indirectly affected by the dropping of the bombs. Those scars are real and still there and will be for a very very long time. It changed Japan and the people who live there forever and at the end of the day I think he was an awful person.

AIBU?

I’ve also been to Dresden, Hamburg, and Coventry. What’s your point?

Saw it last night - definitely not turning him into a hero. Odd to make those assumptions without seeing the film. I walked away thinking a lot about nuclear weapons and how we have ended up where we are. Maybe read a full review or go and see it?

Films show the perspective of those who wrote the script and directed them - they are not necessarily accurate. I don't have an opinion on this film as haven't seem it and don't intend to as I prefer to watch films that are to harrowing. What I find take issue with is people who say -you must watch a particular film to educate yourself about history as that is not the case.

Do you have sons? Can you imagine as the years of war pass and you see them going one after another and you know your leaders don't care and that if it goes on you will lose them all. My grandmother had 2 sons away fighting, she had another 5 at home. I don't know how she kept her sanity because I know I couldn't cope with that.

The film is apparently based on American Prometheus.
oppenheimer had believed the bomb would lead to the end of all wars, when he fully understood the impact of his actions, he called for control and restraint.
I don’t believe this film seeks to glorify anything. It’s the exploration of a horrific event and the man tasked with delivering it.

‘Pro-bombers’. Really?

No one thinks that killing children is a good thing.
No one thinks that dropping bombs on civilians is a good thing.
No one thinks that war is a good thing.
No one thinks that atomic bombs are a good thing.

Those particular bombs being dropped at that particular time, a time when conventional bombs were being dropped on civilians regularly, prevented a lot of future deaths. Does that make it morally right that those bombs were dropped? No. Does that mean that it was the wrong tactical decision to drop those bombs? No.

So do you think your grandma would have been grateful for the UK being nuked so that more boys weren’t sent off to war?

You don't actually know do you? You just want to live life being mortally offended at everything and dropping in thay you've been to Japan 🤣🤣

I watched Oppenheimer last night. Very thoughtful portrayal of a complex man. Not made out to be a hero at all. Leaves lots of room for the audience to reach their own conclusion.

As long as her sons were safe I think she'd have been glad it was all over. I think that's the bit you don't get, ordinary people, the people who suffer most from war and gain least, wouldn't want their child killed. Unless they have some sort of mental illness I suppose. Would they want carpet bombing or nuclear bombs? No but they would want it over.

Do you think you'd have been happy in 1946 if your German or Japanese son came home?

Yes it reads like people are promoting just going and bombing an unsuspecting country. Bit like the Japanese did to the Americans.

I don't see you as discussing this in good faith with your throwaway quips to people.

Are you joking?
You think people were grateful and relieved to be the victim of an atomic bomb?

I'm talking about your general tone in all of this. Some pretty nasty glib comments on here by you.

You grandad’s life is not more valuable than those of innocent children

I'm guessing the perspective is that if that happened it would prevent the leaders engaging in further war, which could save more lives overall obviously depending on the size of the country and the population etc, in theory, but yes still omg strategy either way.

My general tone is that we shouldn’t use nuclear weapons.
That we shouldn’t target children.
That children’s lives should be prioritised over adults.
That no one would ever be grateful or relieved to be the target of an atom bomb.

I think it’s far more offensive to pretend the Japanese were RELIEVED to be nuked.

I haven't seen it yet - seeing it today - but from what I've read the colour parts of the film are subjective, so from Oppenheimer's perspective, and the black and white objective - so not from his perspective. The script was written in the first person which is very unusual. So what you're seeing in colour is what is in his mind, and that alone. I think that's a fascinating way to film it and I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out.

The book - American Prometheus - is incredible and well worth a read. It is balanced, and doesn't portray him either as a hero, or a monster.

I think you are making a big stretch with some of your points and undermining your argument. There are some things that just don't need to be said taking it to a personal and offensive level.

Where have I made a big stretch?

This poster has used both “relieved” and “grateful” to describe how they think the Japanese felt when being bombed with nuclear weapons.

You are quoting one poster as support for you being personally offensive to someone else? I have finished my exchange with you.

Same

I’m not going to apologise for saying adult’s lives, even adults known by posters on this thread, are not of more value or worth than those of children.

Some really interesting points on this thread and some asinine ones which scream of 21st century privilege.

However OP there are these things called film reviews that would educate you. You wanted a bunfight though didn’t you.