Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) Click here for Audio Version
“The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it” – Albert Einstein.
If there’s one thing the 2024 Netflix docu-drama “Einstein and the Bomb” does best, it’s establish Albert Einstein as the international rock star he was in the scientific community. “No living person deserves this sort of reception,” Einstein says at one point in this one hour sixteen minute-long film, while talking about how he was incessantly photographed and practically mobbed by the media around the world.
Don’t let the explosive title mislead you; “Einstein and the Bomb” isn’t so much about the physicist’s connection to the atomic bomb as it is about Einstein’s life after he had to flee Germany. However, the inclusion of “bomb” in the title does make it sound more exciting, especially given the renewed interest in the subject matter following the phenomenal success of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” in 2023. In-fact, if you’ve seen “Oppenheimer”, you’ll also recognize the eerie similarity in the background music for both films – lots of dramatic piano pieces which heighten suspense and tension in several scenes.
“Einstein and the Bomb” begins with a disclaimer stating that all words spoken by Einstein throughout the runtime were either written or spoken by him during his lifetime, establishing their historical credibility. Actor Aidan McArdle plays Einstein, and he makes the scientist feel a lot more human, relatable and compassionate with his portrayal. A significant amount of archival video footage and photos are interspersed with dramatized recreations of Einstein’s experiences after leaving Germany. The creators ingeniously utilize existing footage to circumvent the need to shoot challenging scenes. For instance, they seamlessly blend actual footage of Einstein speaking at the Royal Albert Hall in 1933, addressing a crowd of 10,000 against Nazi policies, with Aidan’s portrayal of Einstein practicing his speech and nervously preparing for the event.
“If we want to resist the powers which threaten to suppress intellectual and individual freedom we must keep clearly before us what is at stake, and what we owe to that freedom which our ancestors have won for us after hard struggles.” – Einstein.
Ultimately, “Einstein and the Bomb” provides a riveting exploration of Einstein’s philosophies, primarily centered around his peaceful retreat to a quaint English cottage, away from the world’s scrutiny and Nazi persecution. Only the final twenty minutes or so delve into his tangential involvement with the atomic bomb and arms race. Despite being a vocal pacifist, Einstein was a practical man who believed that “only organized force can fight organized force.” This belief set him apart from pacifists like Mahatma Gandhi, whose bust adorns the physicist’s table in the film, symbolizing his ideological kinship with the revered Indian leader, who advocated for nonviolent resistance.
For those well-versed in Einstein’s life, this docudrama may not offer much in terms of new material. Nevertheless, the creators effectively convey the complex moral dilemmas and struggles Einstein grappled with as a celebrated man of science who had never considered his race or Jewish identity until the Nazis launched a malicious campaign to undermine his credibility in the scientific community. What I really liked about this film was the juxtaposition of Nazi Germany with the idyllic life Einstein led while in hiding in England (given the generous bounty on his head). In those moments, there’s a sense of peace as Einstein appears content outwardly, yet inwardly torn by the turmoil in the country he once called home, even when he could have chosen to remain insulated in his own bubble.
At one hour and sixteen minutes, “Einstein and the Bomb” is a well-woven homage to a brilliant mind. It concludes with Einstein’s poignant message to future generations: “Dear Posterity, If you have not become more just, more peaceful, and in general more sensible… then may the Devil take you!”
Stream “Einstein and the Bomb” on Netflix. (The audio version of this review is embedded below)
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