Telling a WWII story like no one else — “Dunkirk” Review
If you like a war story told by action rather than exposition, “Dunkirk” will be an overwhelming film experience. Masterful Nolan-style storytelling coupled with maximum non-CGI action scenes, the film shows collective efforts of resilience at a crucial turning point of World War II.
History (26 May — 4 June 1940):
“‘Dunkirk’ is a World War II movie, one told through soldiers, their lived and near-death experiences and their bodies under siege.” — Manohla Dargis, New York Times
“Dunkirk” is based on real historical events in Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France that took place months after Nazi Germany invaded Poland, weeks after they reached France, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, and days after Winston Churchill became UK Prime Minister.
During the 11 days, about 338,800 stranded Allied soldiers were rescued from the beaches and harbor of Dunkirk, of which 215,000 were British and 123,000 were French.
Visuals:
“Is it ethical to make a war movie this beautiful?” Chris Klimek, NPR
Nolan captures the majority of “Dunkirk” with IMAX’s extremely high resolution 2d film camera to deliver greater scope and breathtaking image quality. The film delivers some of the greatest air fight scenes by placing cameras directly inside planes to produce natural spinning shots of dogfight.
Story:
“The tension starts from minute one and doesn’t let up until the credits roll in “Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan’s terse, nerve-jangling WWII drama.” — Sara Stewart, New York Post
I wouldn’t go into detail too much — if you know the history well, you already know the story; if not, the history itself is so much more exciting than most other stories.
Nolan is famous for his non-linear storytelling, as in movies like “Memento” and “Inception”, where he merges together multiple storylines at different paces. In his new historical masterpiece, he adds a new twist to his old tricks — the 3 different storylines arrive at same location at same time, almost like a symphony:
The Mole — 400,000 soldiers waiting for rescue to go home
The Sea — civilians coming to help
The Air — epic dogfight involving Tom Hardy, enough said
Acting:
“The film is a wonder to experience (especially in Imax), but it’s not perfect. For all the technical brilliance, there’s something emotionally removed about the storytelling that keeps a viewer at arm’s length throughout.” — Liz Braun, Toronto Sun
Nolan seems to try express most emotion through the story rather than characters — as side effects, most characters lack development in this less-than-2-hour film. However, the actors give their best performance within the average 5 minutes given. Many familiar faces from other Nolan movies return, noticeably Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy. Academy award winner Mark Rylance also contributes great performance after “Bridge of Spies”.
What surprises most people is Harry Styles’ film debut. If you question his ability to act, no worries — every previous Nolan movie is well cast, and this one too.
Final Score: A- (A for IMAX experience)
About the Author:
Roger Zhu is a PhD student studying Mechanical Engineering at University of Virginia. His research focus on biomechanics and fluid dynamics behind fish swimming. During his leisure time, he enjoys watching movies (obviously) and playing all kinds of instruments.
