Christopher Nolan’s meticulous attention to detail makes it impossible to believe that he could make just the smallest mistake in the likes of Oppenheimer. However, that kind of thinking doesn’t account for that section of society who don’t watch movies for plot or investment, but to trawl the background for small errors that no one focusing on the movie’s story would probably ever notice.
One such moment has surfaced on Twitter, or X as it will soon be branded if not necessarily known as, with user Andy Craig sharing his belief that Christopher Nolan has dropped the ball with a 1945-set scene that features a room of people waving American flags that appear to contain the incorrect number of stars. In the scene, it was noticed that the flags contain 50 stars, which today would correctly symbolize the 50 states, but in 1945 should have only contained 48 stars, with Alaska and Hawaii yet to become states.
However a separate scene does murky the water as to whether this is Christopher Nolan making a mistake, or whether it is an intentional error on the director’s part. That scene shows Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer standing before a flag showing the correct arrangement of 48 stars. This has caused some debate over the possibility that the mistake is intentional.
Oppenheimer is a story told from the perspective of its title character’s memories and the perspective of others. These two narrative threads are depicted in contrasting styles, with the former being in color, which the latter is in black and white. As the incorrect flag is in a scene showing in color, some have argued that this could be something that shows Oppenheimer’s memories are maybe not as accurate as he believes, and then things can be misconstrued. Of course the only person who knows for certain is Nolan himself, and as of now, he has not been questioned on which scenario is true.
Oppenheimer is a Deeply Disturbing Movie
While there are many horror movies that will give audiences sleepless nights, Oppenheimer has been having the same effect on some of those who have seen it on its opening weekend. While the untold terrors that live in closets and haunt old cabins have a firm place in a world of fantasy, the truth behind Oppenheimer’s story is what makes it such a scary and disturbing watch.
Even for those who have not lived through the kind of war that took place back in the early 1940s, the first-person narrative of Oppenheimer, and the ramifications of what could have happened as a result of the atomic bomb he created, is something that will stay in the mind long after the lengthy movie’s credits roll. This is obviously what Nolan was aiming for, and what he has achieved so impeccably.
Oppenheimer may not be a movie that will bring joy and good feelings to cinemagoers, but it will stand as a one of the greatest biopics of a generation, and will no doubt receive a fair amount of attention come awards season.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
