Jonathan Ross Says Oppenheimer Was One of His Dullest Cinema Experiences

Jonathan Ross has opened up about his love of cinema, his views on Christopher Nolan and his experience on The Celebrity Traitors, revealing that one of the director’s biggest recent films left him “begging for release.”

The veteran broadcaster, who turns 66 this year, remains busy with his work on Classic FM’s film music programme and the Reel Talk movie podcast, which he presents with his daughter, Honey.

Despite recently interviewing Christopher Nolan, Ross says he is not a member of the director’s devoted fan base.

“I’m not part of the cult of Christopher Nolan,” he told Metro UK.

Ross praised Nolan’s filmmaking ability but was highly critical of Oppenheimer, the 2023 biographical drama that won multiple major awards.

“I thought Oppenheimer was one of the most boring movies, one of the dullest experiences I’ve ever had at the cinema,” he said.

He admitted that the film had “incredible moments” and that Nolan’s skill as a filmmaker was beyond question. However, Ross felt the writing did not always match the visual ambition.

“The final third of that movie… I was begging for release,” he said.

Ross also suggested that he had similar reservations about Nolan’s latest film, The Odyssey. Although he enjoyed the movie, he said he did not rate it as highly as many other viewers.

The broadcaster accepts that film is ultimately a matter of personal taste. As someone who has spent decades discussing movies, he said he is often surprised by which films audiences and awards bodies choose to celebrate.

“I like to think I’m right and everyone else is wrong, but I’m old enough to realise that’s just vanity,” he said.

Ross is equally passionate about film music and struggled to choose between two of his favourite composers, Hans Zimmer and John Williams.

He praised Williams for iconic scores such as Star Wars, Superman and Harry Potter, while highlighting Zimmer’s work on films including True Romance, The Thin Red Line, Inception and Interstellar.

“I wouldn’t really want to choose,” Ross said.

Looking back at his childhood in London, Ross recalled joining a film club in Gants Hill when he was just 14. He remembers a time when audiences had far fewer ways to watch films at home.

“There weren’t even VHS players when I was little, so you couldn’t watch stuff on your own schedule,” he said.

Ross believes the cinema experience of the 1970s offered a particularly unusual mix of films. Alongside major hits such as Star Wars, Alien and The Exorcist, local cinemas could show much more obscure productions.

He recalled seeing everything from Roger Corman’s Death Race 2000 to kung fu films and exploitation movies, describing the variety as an exciting experience for a young film fan.

As for the films he has enjoyed recently, Ross singled out Obsession, which he has watched three times. He praised the acting, particularly Inde Navarrette, and described the film as unusual and immersive.

He also enjoyed The Odyssey, although he admitted it did not impress him as much as it did some other viewers.

The next James Bond film is another major topic in Hollywood, but Ross says he is not particularly excited about the upcoming reboot. He would rather see a Bond film set in post-war Britain, closer to the period in which Ian Fleming wrote the original books.

When asked who he would like to see as the next 007, Ross offered a surprising choice: Timothée Chalamet.

Ross also reflected on his time on The Celebrity Traitors, where he became one of the show's most memorable players. He worked alongside fellow Traitors Alan Carr and Cat Burns and was eventually banished after a dramatic run.

Despite the tension of the game, Ross says he remains friendly with many of his former castmates. He is even planning to have lunch with Celia Imrie and previously organised a Christmas gathering for the group.

The new cast members have also sought his advice before entering the game. Ross said he spoke with Michael Sheen, Romesh Ranganathan, Rob Beckett and Maya Jama about what they could expect.

“I’m always very honest because I did enjoy aspects of the experience and other things I really struggled with,” he said. “It was quite tricky.”

For Ross, however, the experience appears to have added another chapter to a long career built around his two great passions: entertainment and film.