Dunkirk (2017)

One week of Survival. One day to Support. One hour-forty-seven to Savour.

Nolan has brought his brand of WWII to the table — and boy does the full-course impress.

As the Nazi’s gain a foothold during the Second World War in 1940’s France, allied soldiers are herded to the shores of Dunkirk with limited resources against the enclosing nationalist forces. With hope and options dwindling like the ammunition of every rifle discharge, Churchill issues Operation Dynamo — utilising and commandeering civilian vessels as rescue boats for the stranded 400,000+ troops in order not to compromise their military strength for impending attacks. From 3 Messerschmitt fighter planes to a small ship of local sailors — naval, air, and land forces converge on the beach as everyone races against time to aid however they can, or whoever’s left.

What seemed like an impossible task of impacting the war genre with crumbs of the glamourised historical epoch, turned out an incomparable hallmark among a long list of established films. On top of everything — it is a refreshing take on warfare in every angle its made of. The overshadowed events and significance of the Dunkirk evacuation supports the film in this regard — disabling expectations of anything familiar of WWII and defying conventions of explosive action, bad-ass team of elites, and trauma-induced narrative.

Even the plot-progression (surprise surprise) contributes greatly to the film’s novelty. Christopher Nolan and company welds the overarching timelines of Dunkirk with the finesse to forge masterful cohesion — similar to the silver-plating Rogue One (2016) provides for A New Hope (1977) — all in one of his shorter film entries. The chapters unravel through an hour of flight, from a day’s sail, within a week ashore — weaving the respective developments together in Nolan’s harmoniously complex signature that reflects the elastic convergence upon the beach.

There’s something to be said about the methods of immersion employed in the film. The flourishing desperation on the beach is orchestrated through the sounds and synchronicity that accompanies the tropical saturation and coastal cinematography throughout. Resulting in a distraction-free delight that gives equal audio attention across aerial bombings, raging waves, RAF engines, and even falling sand.

Dunkirk’s atypical qualities come full circle as it directs your focus on what lies behind the veil of its characters as the weight of war casts down on every one of them. Emphasizing aspects of humanity (in every sense of the word) with omitted backstories, scarcely referred key-figures, and even enemy appearances amounting no more than 30-minutes (if that). It further dampens distractions with the bare-minimum use of plot essentials to behave as a conduit for a unified, human experience — allowing the breath of fear, ambition, and helplessness that emerges from sheer plight to fill the air.

If you’re looking for a war film that breaks the mould, reaching a breadth of being [arguably] as shiny as the debut of Apocalypse Now (1979) and as curious as the telling of Inglorious Basterds (2009) — then you’ll feel right at home on the war-engulfed shores of this historical drama. Nolan has found and shaped Dunkirk in an eclipsed pocket of war films as yet another excellently produced allegory on defeat, perseverance, and survival — the cornerstones of life.

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The Cinema Sympathiser.

Written by

Because the only thing separating a movie from being the perfect film — is the audience. | ngwhengjhun.wixsite.com/popcornforbreakfast

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