Year: 2017
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Aneurin Barnard, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, and Kenneth Branagh
Tagline: When 400,000 men couldn't get home, home came for them.
Synopsis: This is the story of the Dunkirk evacuation during WWII, as told from three interwoven perspectives: the land, the sea, and the air.
Tagline: When 400,000 men couldn't get home, home came for them.
Synopsis: This is the story of the Dunkirk evacuation during WWII, as told from three interwoven perspectives: the land, the sea, and the air.
Review
Wow. Seriously. Wow. Director Christopher Nolan has crafted an incredible film in a way that only he can. Dunkirk is beautiful, gripping, mesmerizing, and an all around well-made movie.
Every component works together to create a film that will stick with you long after the credits roll. The cinematography is amazing. They actually strapped cameras onto old British Spitfire's in order to get some of the aerial shots. The film feels real because so much of it is real. CGI can do a lot these days and is more realistic looking than ever, but it still cannot compare to real planes, real ships, and the real world. Dunkirk has all of that. In fact, some of the actual little ships (private boats and yachts) used in the Dunkirk evacuation were used in the film. If you ever splurge and see movies in IMAX, this is one to see large format (which I did).
Working right along with the visuals is Hans Zimmer's incredible soundtrack. The music is so fully integrated into the film, it feels impossible to say where the noises of the film end and the music begins. They feel one and the same. Throughout the score is the sound of a ticking clock, highlighting the fact that time is as much the enemy as the Germans in this rescue/evacuation. (Interesting note: the ticking noise was recorded from Nolan's own pocket watch. He's that cool.) What really got to me -- as a bit of an Anglophile -- was how Zimmer incorporated "Nimrod" from Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations during some of the most climactic moments. You might not recognize the name, but you may well recognize the very British melody (so well loved it was used during the closing ceremony of the London Olympics). That particular musical cue adds a dramatic punch like no other music could.
As amazing as the visuals and soundtrack are, they are both tools in Nolan's arsenal to tell a gripping story. And Dunkirk is gripping. The subject matter itself is larger than life: the evacuation of 400,000 men. But how do you tell that story in a coherent manner? Nolan seems to be the king of the non-linear narrative and he brought his A game here. The film involves three interwoven stories, each of which occurs for a different duration of time. The film seamlessly moves back and forth between the three stories (and thus different time frames) in a way that was never confusing. As the film continues, we realize just how interconnected the three stories are. And it is brilliant.
One interesting decision Nolan made with Dunkirk is that it is more the story of the evacuation than of individuals. We follow various individuals throughout the film and see the events through their perspectives, but it isn't a character driven film. Nor is there really any character development. And in this film, it works. Even though the characters don't have arcs, they all feel real. We may not know many of their backstories, but their actions are all believable. They are each, to some degree an Everyman. There are moments of heroics. And there are moments of selfishness. None of them feel forced.
One of the more fleshed out characters is Mr. Dawson, the owner of a boat that accepts the call to sail to Dunkirk and bring back men. We are given some of his history, which helps us understand some of his words and actions. But what I love about Mr. Dawson is that he is the embodiment of the British attitude of keep calm and carry on. And it's not a front. It truly is his character.
In preparing for this film, Nolan apparently watched a number of silent films. Dunkirk is not a talkative movie. Body language accounts for much of the emotional story telling. For instance, there is a moment when Farrier (an RAF pilot) must make a decision. There's no one for him to talk to. He doesn't say a word. But you can see it in his eyes and in his subtle movements as he makes his choice. The moment is a brilliant example of visual storytelling.
One of the most striking things about Dunkirk is the lack of Germans. Except for a couple of shadowy, out-of-focus soldiers at the end, we don't see a single German soldier. They are represented only through gunfire and planes. It really contributes to the idea that in the evacuation, the overarching antagonist was time.
Unlike most war movies, Dunkirk is rated PG-13. There is violence, but it is not gruesome or bloody. But there are bodies. The film, however, is intense. Really intense. It hits you in the opening minutes and never lets up until the credits roll. Be prepared to be on the edge of your seat. The film also has some swearing, though I only remember them in one particularly stressful scene.
If you can't tell, I loved Dunkirk. It is one of the best, most well-crafted movies I have seen in years. I saw it again this weekend. It's just as epic and incredible the second time. And it fully deserves to be seen in IMAX.
*** Spoiler Section ***
For much of the movie, I wondered how exactly it would end, or rather, how it would all wrap up. Nolan did not let us down. Having Tommy -- weary but relieved to be home -- read aloud Winston Churchill's rousing "We shall fight on the beaches" speech works well.
The end is all the more bittersweet as we realize how much Farrier (the pilot) has sacrificed. He has landed his plane in enemy territory and is now a prisoner of war. While over 300,000 men made it home, he didn't.
Every component works together to create a film that will stick with you long after the credits roll. The cinematography is amazing. They actually strapped cameras onto old British Spitfire's in order to get some of the aerial shots. The film feels real because so much of it is real. CGI can do a lot these days and is more realistic looking than ever, but it still cannot compare to real planes, real ships, and the real world. Dunkirk has all of that. In fact, some of the actual little ships (private boats and yachts) used in the Dunkirk evacuation were used in the film. If you ever splurge and see movies in IMAX, this is one to see large format (which I did).
Working right along with the visuals is Hans Zimmer's incredible soundtrack. The music is so fully integrated into the film, it feels impossible to say where the noises of the film end and the music begins. They feel one and the same. Throughout the score is the sound of a ticking clock, highlighting the fact that time is as much the enemy as the Germans in this rescue/evacuation. (Interesting note: the ticking noise was recorded from Nolan's own pocket watch. He's that cool.) What really got to me -- as a bit of an Anglophile -- was how Zimmer incorporated "Nimrod" from Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations during some of the most climactic moments. You might not recognize the name, but you may well recognize the very British melody (so well loved it was used during the closing ceremony of the London Olympics). That particular musical cue adds a dramatic punch like no other music could.
As amazing as the visuals and soundtrack are, they are both tools in Nolan's arsenal to tell a gripping story. And Dunkirk is gripping. The subject matter itself is larger than life: the evacuation of 400,000 men. But how do you tell that story in a coherent manner? Nolan seems to be the king of the non-linear narrative and he brought his A game here. The film involves three interwoven stories, each of which occurs for a different duration of time. The film seamlessly moves back and forth between the three stories (and thus different time frames) in a way that was never confusing. As the film continues, we realize just how interconnected the three stories are. And it is brilliant.
One interesting decision Nolan made with Dunkirk is that it is more the story of the evacuation than of individuals. We follow various individuals throughout the film and see the events through their perspectives, but it isn't a character driven film. Nor is there really any character development. And in this film, it works. Even though the characters don't have arcs, they all feel real. We may not know many of their backstories, but their actions are all believable. They are each, to some degree an Everyman. There are moments of heroics. And there are moments of selfishness. None of them feel forced.
One of the more fleshed out characters is Mr. Dawson, the owner of a boat that accepts the call to sail to Dunkirk and bring back men. We are given some of his history, which helps us understand some of his words and actions. But what I love about Mr. Dawson is that he is the embodiment of the British attitude of keep calm and carry on. And it's not a front. It truly is his character.
In preparing for this film, Nolan apparently watched a number of silent films. Dunkirk is not a talkative movie. Body language accounts for much of the emotional story telling. For instance, there is a moment when Farrier (an RAF pilot) must make a decision. There's no one for him to talk to. He doesn't say a word. But you can see it in his eyes and in his subtle movements as he makes his choice. The moment is a brilliant example of visual storytelling.
One of the most striking things about Dunkirk is the lack of Germans. Except for a couple of shadowy, out-of-focus soldiers at the end, we don't see a single German soldier. They are represented only through gunfire and planes. It really contributes to the idea that in the evacuation, the overarching antagonist was time.
Unlike most war movies, Dunkirk is rated PG-13. There is violence, but it is not gruesome or bloody. But there are bodies. The film, however, is intense. Really intense. It hits you in the opening minutes and never lets up until the credits roll. Be prepared to be on the edge of your seat. The film also has some swearing, though I only remember them in one particularly stressful scene.
If you can't tell, I loved Dunkirk. It is one of the best, most well-crafted movies I have seen in years. I saw it again this weekend. It's just as epic and incredible the second time. And it fully deserves to be seen in IMAX.
*** Spoiler Section ***
For much of the movie, I wondered how exactly it would end, or rather, how it would all wrap up. Nolan did not let us down. Having Tommy -- weary but relieved to be home -- read aloud Winston Churchill's rousing "We shall fight on the beaches" speech works well.
The end is all the more bittersweet as we realize how much Farrier (the pilot) has sacrificed. He has landed his plane in enemy territory and is now a prisoner of war. While over 300,000 men made it home, he didn't.
Quotable Quotes
- "He's on me." "I'm on him." -- Collins and Farrier
- "Is he a coward?" "No, George. He's shell-shocked. He's not himself. He may never be himself again." -- George and Mr. Dawson
- "You should be at home!" "There won't be a home if we allow a slaughter across the Channel." -- The shell-shocked soldier and Mr. Dawson
- "You can practically see it from here." "What?" "Home." -- Commander Bolton and Captain Winnant
No comments:
Post a Comment