Chris Reviews Dunkirk

Dunkirk (2017)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, Harry Styles, Mark Rylance, James D'Arcy
IMDB: 8.7
RT: 92 (Certified Fresh)
Box Office: $107.4 Million Worldwide (Opening Weekend)

Summary-

As Hitler's army closes in around the French, Belgians and British Expeditionary force at Dunkirk the men try to evacuate back to England.

Review-

While there are countless films in the World War 2 genre there is always another fascinating story to tell. Dunkirk is one of the most significant moments of World War 2 that most Americans are probably not aware of. That is one of the aspects that made me very excited for this film in that we have not seen many interpretations of this story on film in the United States. There was a 1958 film but not many people have seen it. So this film has a leg up on many of its genre brethren in that the story it is telling has not been beaten to death.

Dunkirk not only tells a story that is new to many Americans but it also tells it in a style that is new to the genre as well. This is not your typical historical war film, in fact much of the historical context is only briefly touched on. Dunkirk is truly a film told from the perspective of those on the ground. There are no meetings at the Generals headquarters or huge epic battles. This is simply a story of men trying to survive imminent doom. They are surrounded and must evacuate on boats to escape the German Army. They get bombed on the beaches and their boats get torpedoed by submarines. Dunkirk often reminds more of a disaster or survival film than it does a war movie.

The visuals are fantastic, the cinematography is perfect, the effects are impressive and you truly get the feeling that you are there on the ground. It is a truly immersive experience and best viewed in the theater to fully appreciate the film. Almost the entire film you are completely involved in the story and on the edge of your seat. Nolan masterfully builds tension as he cycles through the three main story lines. The story is spliced together in a non-linear fashion but it slowly comes together by the end. It's something that the more I think about the more I love about the film.

All of these positives being said, I can see where people may have some issues with the film. There is little to no development or focus on the characters beyond the most basic information.  They are mostly just there for us to experience the horrors of the situation but we don't really know anything about them. I think it works fine in this film because it's a film about the experience of war rather than a traditional story. That being said I can see where some may have a hard time relating to the characters since the film is not structured in the traditional war movie format.  The non-linear storytelling may also confuse some audience members as well but again I believe it works because the stories all do come together at points to reach a satisfying conclusion.

Final Thoughts-

Dunkirk is a thoroughly ambitious and powerful war film. It manages the rare feat of being unique in a well trodden and often cliche genre. This is a visually immersive, emotionally draining and action packed film that will linger in audiences minds for a while. As I think about this film more and upon repeat viewings I think my rating will go up but even now I highly recommend the film!

MY RATING: 4/5 

Chris Hart