Rotten Tomatoes Reveals Winner Between “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”
The highly anticipated films “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” have finally received their scores on Rotten Tomatoes, and one film has emerged as the clear winner. Rotten Tomatoes compiles reviews from critics across the web to create a score based on the percentage of favorable versus unfavorable reviews.
First up, “Barbie” debuted on Tuesday with an impressive score of 89 percent, which has now increased to 90 percent at the time of writing. However, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” has blown Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” out of the water with an opening score of 94 percent. It’s important to note that these scores are subject to change as more reviews come in.
This marks “Oppenheimer” as Nolan’s best-reviewed picture to date, surpassing his previous high of 94 percent for “The Dark Knight” in 2008. On the other end of the spectrum, his film “Tenet” from 2020 received his lowest score on the site with 69 percent. The complex themes of time travel in “Tenet” left some viewers confused.
“Oppenheimer” stars Irish actor Cillian Murphy in the lead role and follows the life of theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, who spearheaded the development of the first nuclear bomb. Meanwhile, “Barbie” features Margot Robbie as the iconic Mattel doll on a quest to understand her true purpose by venturing into the real world.
Interestingly, The Independent’s film critic Clarisse Loughrey went against the grain on Rotten Tomatoes. Loughrey awarded “Barbie” five stars while giving Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” a near-perfect four stars. In her review, Loughrey described “Barbie” as inventive, immaculately crafted, and surprising, noting its achievements within the depths of capitalism. She also praised “Oppenheimer” as Nolan’s best and most revealing work but pointed out that it occasionally becomes too conscious of itself and the filmmaking process.
Renowned writer and filmmaker Paul Schrader chimed in with high praise for Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” calling it the “best” and “most important film of this century.” Schrader, director of “The Card Counter” (2021), expressed his admiration, stating that “Oppenheimer” blows the door off the hinges.
Both “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” will be released in cinemas on July 21st. With their contrasting themes and stellar performances, film enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the release of these movies.