War Drama Everyone Needs to Watch After Oppenheimer Is Now on Netflix — And Viewers Say It May Be Even Better

This gripping BBC docudrama brings Albert Einstein’s extraordinary wartime story to life with real diaries, archive footage and a dramatic reconstruction of the years he spent fleeing Nazi Germany.

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It’s partially based on a non-fiction book by Stuart McLaren(Image: Courtesy of Netflix)

If Oppenheimer left you wanting to understand more about the people and events that shaped the atomic age, there is another film on Netflix that deserves a place on your watchlist.

Released in 2024, ** Einstein and the Bomb ** blends documentary footage, historical testimony and scripted drama to tell the little-known story of Albert Einstein’s escape from Nazi Germany — and his terrifying years living under the threat of assassination.

The BBC production quickly attracted attention after arriving on Netflix, becoming one of the platform’s most-watched English-language films during its launch period.

And for viewers fascinated by the history behind the development of nuclear weapons, it offers a very different perspective from Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

The story behind Einstein’s escape

Long before his name became synonymous with modern physics, Einstein was already one of the most famous scientists in the world.

But in 1932, as Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power in Germany, Einstein found himself increasingly targeted because of his Jewish heritage and outspoken political views.

Einstein and the Bomb follows the physicist as he leaves Germany and eventually seeks refuge in Britain.

The film explores a little-known chapter of his life, including the period when Einstein stayed in Norfolk under protection after concerns were raised about threats against him.

Rather than presenting the story entirely through conventional narration, the production uses Einstein’s own words — drawn from speeches, correspondence and interviews — to reconstruct his experiences.

That approach gives the film an unusually personal quality, allowing viewers to hear the story through the thoughts and words of the man himself.

Real footage makes the story even more powerful

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It became the fourth most-watched English film on the platform at the time(Image: Courtesy of Netflix)

One of the biggest draws for viewers is the combination of dramatic reconstruction and authentic historical material.

The film doesn’t simply recreate Einstein’s life with actors. It incorporates archival footage and historical documents alongside the scripted sequences, creating a hybrid production that sits somewhere between a traditional documentary and a historical drama.

Aidan McArdle takes on the role of Einstein, while Andrew Havill portrays Commander Locker-Lampson, one of the figures involved in protecting the scientist during his time in Britain.

The production is also partially based on Stuart McLaren’s non-fiction book, Saving Einstein: When Norfolk Hid a Genius, which examines the people who helped shelter Einstein while he was hiding in Norfolk.

That lesser-known chapter is arguably what makes the film so compelling.

Instead of focusing solely on Einstein as the celebrated scientific genius, it explores the vulnerable man behind the famous name — a refugee attempting to stay alive while Europe moved closer to war.

Some viewers are comparing it to Oppenheimer

The comparison with Oppenheimer may initially seem surprising.

Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster focused heavily on J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb during the Second World War.

Einstein and the Bomb tells a much earlier part of that story.

Einstein did not develop the atomic bomb himself, but his work on mass-energy equivalence became part of the scientific foundation behind nuclear physics. His famous equation E = mc² demonstrated the relationship between mass and energy, helping shape the scientific understanding that eventually made nuclear weapons possible.

The Netflix film therefore provides an intriguing look at the historical figure whose scientific legacy became intertwined with the nuclear age.

And some viewers have been surprisingly enthusiastic about the comparison.

One fan even described the production as “better than Oppenheimer”, while others praised its ability to combine entertainment with genuine historical information.

Another viewer called it a “thrilling exploration” that left them fascinated by the different chapters of Einstein’s extraordinary life.

A different side of a world-famous genius

What makes Einstein and the Bomb particularly interesting is that it isn’t simply another film about Einstein’s scientific achievements.

Instead, it examines what happened when one of the world’s most famous intellectuals suddenly became a target.

The film portrays his flight from Germany, his time in Britain and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding his protection.

It also explores the people who helped him during a period when Europe was descending into chaos.

That gives the story a human dimension that can sometimes be missing from traditional biographies of Einstein.

Rather than simply presenting dates, discoveries and scientific achievements, the film asks viewers to consider what it meant for a celebrated genius to become a refugee with his life in danger.

Critics and viewers have taken notice

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The fillm has high-ratings on Rotten Tomatoes(Image: Courtesy of Netflix)

The production has also attracted positive reactions from audiences, with the film earning an 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Viewers have particularly praised the educational value of the documentary and the use of historical footage.

One viewer described it as a deeply educational experience that offers a rare glimpse into the life and mind of one of history’s most important thinkers.

Others highlighted the authentic archive material, saying the footage added another layer to an already fascinating story.

And while it may not have achieved the enormous critical and commercial impact of Oppenheimer, its appeal to fans of historical dramas and stories about the origins of nuclear weapons is obvious.

Why Einstein and the Bomb is worth watching

For anyone who enjoyed Oppenheimer and wants to explore the history surrounding the atomic age from another perspective, Einstein and the Bomb offers a fascinating alternative.

It combines real historical footage, Einstein’s own words, dramatic recreations and little-known wartime history to tell a story that many viewers may never have encountered before.

Most importantly, it reveals a side of Einstein that is rarely placed at the centre of popular culture: not simply the brilliant physicist, but a man forced to flee his homeland and live under extraordinary security during one of the darkest periods of European history.

And with viewers already calling it “fascinating” and even comparing it favourably with Oppenheimer, this overlooked BBC production could be the next historical drama worth adding to your Netflix watchlist.

Einstein and the Bomb is currently available to stream on Netflix.