This was the first war movie that I watched in theaters. I was hyped due in large part that Christopher Nolan was directing it. Having watched his previous movie Interstellar, I was disappointed but I won't say it was his worst film. When I watched the trailer, I felt it was a return of the director to tell a story of one event in World War 2 that not many people were aware of. To be clear, this wasn’t the only movie about Operation Dynamo. Back in the 20th century, movies like Mrs. Miniver and Weekend at Dunkirk were mostly about or taking place during the event. The former even won Best Picture in 1942.
1. Three Perspectives
It’s not a Christopher Nolan movie when he manipulates how a story is told. Here, it’s mostly told in a nonlinear way. Three separate stories happen during the evacuation: The Mole details one soldier named Tommy attempting to escape Dunkirk through sneaking into ships, eventually meeting other soldiers, The Sea details a father and son, along with a friend sailing to Dunkirk to rescue any soldiers. Lastly, The Air details two pilots attempting to stop enemy fighters and bombers from killing the surviving soldiers.
Simple idea in the least bit. What makes it more enthralling is that those three individual storylines are told in varying times. This is probably the most experimental Nolan has done in terms of telling a nonlinear story. While I can understand that some casual viewers might be confused by the way the story is being presented. Such as when the father and son see the two British pilots, and then cut to the only surviving pilot chasing a bomber. The main thing about the whole interconnected story is that it shows a single event in various angles.
I love how it’s being presented, for the fact that we get to see just how heroism and simple survival is shown. The best way that its shown is when the sound makes the tension even worse. It just adds to the overall dread of the Nazis slowly surrounding the British and the only help their getting is just a week away.
Another thing that I like is that mostly all the main characters have a personality. While most of them don’t have an arc since there’s no time to divulge on who they are and what they were doing. We see the camaraderie with the people they are around. To make up for it is when the characters present doubt in themselves. Such as when the mariner’s son Peter asking his Dad if it’s possible to turn around.
2. Aerial Combat
The dogfights is probably the best moment when we switch to the pilot’s perspective. It can be difficult hearing them due to their breathing apparatus. Just a side note, is there a clause in Tom Hardy’s contract to have him wear a mask or something obstructing his face? Anyways, the aerial dogfight is something unique. It’s doesn’t have any quick cuts or anything fancy, just a gritty view of how an air combat is being presented.
Probably the most anxiety triggering sound is when we hear the Nazi bomber approaching the beach. Just that sound and Kenneth Branagh’s character turning to see it just adds that moment of dread. That specific shot where we see soldiers one by one look up at the sky and all crouching to avoid being hit just contributes to the tension.
3. Heroism
To make a great war movie in varyingly degree is to show the heroism. How it’s being presented is when we have that moment when the Colonel sees that a fleet of affluent civilians approach the beach to bring in the soldiers. It was cool seeing that happen, since I was not even aware that it really did happen. With some creative liberties but I’ll allow it.
This is probably those rare war movies where there isn’t blood drawn. No one should expect a shoot ‘em up with these movies, but really takeaway of just how an honest to God act of selfless service like that is the most bravest thing anyone can do when the odds of rescue was just logistically impossible.
4. Overall
This is one of Christopher Nolan’s best film. I may even say this is even better than his Dark Knight Trilogy films. Dunkirk is those rare films that it didn’t need to be rated R. But to show how the brilliance of British ingenuity in rescuing soldiers in a tough situation.
Dunkirk gets a four out of five.
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