(reviewed by The Movie Knight) Based on the true story about the Dunkirk Beach evacuation that took place in 1940, when German forces pushed the allied army of the British and the French to the beach – where over 300,000 men would be sitting ducks – there were very few to carry out the mass evacuation, so civilian vessels were called in to help with the rescue.
This film follows three stories. One involves a small group of soldiers attempting to flee from the beach, another focuses on one of those aforementioned boats, and the last showcases two British fighter pilots trying to protect the ships from enemy planes.
Writer/director Christopher Nolan has always been a gifted storyteller. Taking audiences on some truly unique journeys, this latest one will probably earn him his fourth Oscar nomination.
When Nolan creates a new narrative, he searches for the best way to present it. Cinematography is of his utmost importance. Over 100 minutes were shot using the newest IMAX cameras and the bigger the screen you can catch this movie on, the more rewarded the outcome. It almost feels like you are on the beach too! In fact, check your local listings, as some theaters will be presenting it in 70-millimeter film, previously reserved for classics like Lawrence of Arabia.
Music plays almost throughout, but it doesn’t stand out, as a good score shouldn’t. Instead it enhances the experience. With little dialog, the film is left to its own resources of tension. The dogfights in the movie are going to be some of the best you have ever seen and Christopher Nolan shoots them all exquisitely. The editing is quite suburb, especially as three stories are woven together. Editor Lee Smith is also likely to find himself rewarded for his work.
This movie will not be everyone’s cup of tea. It is in a non-linear format, which may put off some people. While the three stories are interwoven, the first takes place over a week’s time, the second, a day, and the final, an hour. There is plenty of action, but it can have slow moments too, yet those don’t last long. Bravo to Warner Brothers for putting this out in July, in what normally would have been considered for a late fall release.
3 tiaras