Netflix has just released Oppenheimer‘s alternative, and it has not only become a trend but also the second most-watched film globally. “Einstein and the Bomb” is the new documentary shining within the Top 10.
The historical drama was produced by BBC Studios and directed by Anthony Philipson, with James Van Der Pool and Andrew Cohen as executive producers. It is one of the most interesting ventures due to the project’s composition.
With archival footage and testimonials, the 76-minute film delves into the brilliant mind of Albert Einstein in the face of the dangers of Nazism and the atomic bomb in the 20th century. Here, check out everything about the title…
Einstein and the Bomb ranked No. 2 on Netflix worldwide
Einstein and the Bomb is the new addition to Netflix that has been captivating users worldwide, solidifying itself as the second most-watched film in the catalog, according to Flix Patrol.
The platform-specialized site reported that the documentary, released just one day ago, has quickly entered the Top 10 and surpassed other productions, such as Despicable Me 3, The Abyss and Kill Me If You Dare.
The film is a hybrid project, featuring archival footage and interviews, but also includes recreations performed by popular actors. Aidan McArdle (Ella Enchanted and Beautiful People) portrays the genius in some scenes.
The story is set in 1933 and follows Albert Einstein, the world’s most famous scientist, who is fleeing Germany. Forced to leave his homeland, he fears for his life as Adolf Hitler rises to power.
Despite everything, his conflict is to find a safe place to hide from the Nazis. But where does a world-renowned celebrity like him disappear from sight? Well, the correct answer leads to a cottage in Norfolk.
This place and moment would mark a turning point in his life, between pacifism and aggression, and it would “ultimately define his relationship with the most powerful of all inventions: the atomic bomb”.
What role did Einstein play in the creation of the atomic bomb?
Albert Einstein played an indirect and, to some extent, unintentional role in the creation of the atomic bomb. In 1939, fearing that Nazi Germany might be working on nuclear weapons, physicist Leo Szilard and others drafted a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt urging the United States to start its own atomic bomb research program.
The brilliant scientist, who had fled Germany due to the rise of the Nazis, signed the letter. His signature gave credibility to the request and played a role in the establishment of the Manhattan Project in 1942, which aimed to develop the first nuclear weapons.
Although Einstein did not directly participate in the project or contribute to the technical aspects of bomb development, his early work in the theory of relativity (particularly the famous equation E=mc²) laid the theoretical groundwork for understanding the energy released in nuclear reactions.
In retrospect, the scientist expressed regret for his role in promoting atomic bomb research, as he was a pacifist and did not anticipate the devastating consequences that the bomb would have when it was eventually deployed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.