Movie Breakdown: Dunkirk

Pre-Screening Stance:

It’s Christopher Nolan.  If you’re not at least a little excited about Dunkirk, then you’re probably dead.

Post-Screening Ramble:

I figured Dunkirk was going to be pretty straight forward affair.  There are soldiers trapped on a beach, and civilian boats have been sent to retrieve them.  Oscar-worthy drama ensues!  This is partly true, as there are troops stuck with no where to go and the British government does send normies to scoop them up, but Christoper Nolan cuts out all the pomp and circumstance and opts for a direct, visceral experience.  You don’t see anyone in a board room (with swelling music behind them) arguing about what should be done or anything like that.  Instead Nolan provides three viewpoints.  The first is from the stranded men, who are steadily being dive-bombed, both on land and in the water (if they happened to hop a ride on a rescue boat).  The second is from the sky, as pilots race to Dunkirk to try and protect both the men on the beach and in boats.  The third is from the civilian side, as they too race to Dunkirk to try and save as many soldiers as possible.  It is an intense ride, one that shows you the horrors of the Dunkirk situation and the desperation and fear it filled people with.  It’s not all depressing though, as it also provides a nice look at the courage that it instilled in folks.

I’m not yet sure where Dunkirk ranks for me in regard to Nolan’s other films, but I do think it’s one of the finer war movies since Saving Private Ryan.  It’s stunningly shot, full of great performances, and just in general a very compelling movie.  See it immediately.

One Last Thought:

At some point there needs to be a movie that features nothing but Tom Hardy’s eyes.  They’re so emotive and it’s always very clear as to what he’s trying to say, even if you can’t understand his actual words (like in The Dark Knight Rises, Dunkirk, Mad Max: Fury Road).