Review: Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" brings the thrilling real-life WWII story to theaters in a stylishly explosive fashion that viewers will find enthralling.

There have been quite a few war movies based on real-life events coming out lately. I'm not the biggest fan of war movies. A lot of times for me they come off as cheesy and a bit manipulative. Mel Gibson's "Hacksaw Ridge," which came out last year is, in my opinion, one of the greatest war movies I've ever seen and probably one of the best movies of 2016. In that movie you connected deeply with the main character and his cause. The fact that it was based on a real-life hero made the experience that much more satisfying. "Dunkirk" does what few war movies (or movies in general) are able to do: It tells a completely captivating story without relying on graphic violence, over exposition, or much character development.

"Dunkirk" tells the WWII story of how German forces had forced French and British troops to the beaches of the seaside town of titular Dunkirk, France. Thousands of soldiers are left stranded, waiting for a miracle to come and rescue them.

I cannot tell you how much this movie fascinated me. In all honesty we don't really learn much about the personal lives of the main characters at all. In fact, there really isn't a whole lot of dialogue in general throughout the movie. Just enough for exposition when it's needed. Christopher Nolan, the genius directer behind movies like the Dark Knight trilogy, Inception and Interstellar, has crafted a film where the story is told through the action on screen rather than through the dialogue. It's a tough trick to pull off but Nolan does it masterfully.

The film is spread out over three converging stories that take place at different locations at different times of the rescue effort. First, there is young British soldier Tommy who struggles to find a way off the beach. Next, there is civilian mariner Mr. Dawson and his son who take off in their little boat to assist in the evacuation. Finally, there are Royal Air Force pilots Farrier and Collins who fly over the English Channel to provide air support for the operation at Dunkirk.

Full disclosure, it did take me until about a third of the way through the movie to catch on that the events happening on screen were happening at different times before converging. It was a nice surprise though as I was expecting the regular linear war story. The movie is fast paced and action packed. I can't think of one part of the movie I felt was too slow. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and the committed performances given by the ensemble cast makes the audience know exactly what these characters were feeling even though they rarely say it out loud.

Speaking of the cast, this movie has big names like Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Mark Rylance in it. However, if I'm being honest, it almost felt like any actors could have been in this film and it still would have been fantastic. I mean Tom Hardy had his face covered for 98% of the film by a flight mask and his character's arc was still amazing. That's how good the story being told around them by explosive action and stunning visuals was. Each of the three stories being told had their own visual eye candy. Whether it was the sight of thousands of soldiers looking cold and defeated on a windy beach, wide open seas rolling over hidden dangers as well as carrying possible salvation or the highs and lows of an aerial dog fight, this movie is beautifully shot.

Like I keep saying, there really wasn't too much dialogue to drive the story since the action spoke for itself. Here, Nolan perfectly executes the less-is-more technique. You never actually see any German soldiers until the very end of the film yet their presence and threat is constantly felt whether it's from bullets whizzing past or torpedoes sinking ships. The film is appropriately tense without being exhausting or manipulative. Audiences will have their eyes glued to the screen as they anxiously wait on the beach with the soldiers.

On a personal note, I was glad that the film acknowledges the fact that, technically, this was a military failure on the part of the British and French. By doing so it subverts the stereotypical inspirational "hero's journey" war movie. The Germans had effectively pushed the Allies out of France. They were forced to retreat to Dunkirk and await rescue. It was a big blow to the Allies early in WWII. However, in no way does that fact diminish the miracle of the evacuation or make the story any less inspirational. It is a timeless story of heroism and human spirit that Nolan has brought into theaters today with huge success. I won't be surprised if this film garners a few Academy Award Nominations. Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography for sure.

Final Thoughts: Dunkirk delivers a captivating, thrilling real-life story told in a clever way that delivers a real emotional punch as it keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

Overall Grade: A

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