Opinions - Dunkirk - The War Movie That is Not

I have been a history buff from the time I was a kid. It all started with the video game: Age of Empires 2. It had me hooked. Playing the campaigns of the expansion of the Mongol Empire, the 100 Years war between France and Britain, the third Crusade gave me an appreciation for history. Over time, I delved more and more into such topics, and I found out that wars and events that have shaped the modern world today appeal to me. BBC's documentary series on World War II blew my mind. Up to now, Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan has been the definitive world war 2 movie for me. Behind Enemy Lines is another one.

And then, there is Christopher Nolan's epic movie: Dunkirk.

(image source: Youtube.com)

To say that I went to the movie without any expectations would be a blatant lie. From the first trailers to Hans Zimmer's soundtrack, I did expect quite a lot from the movie. I saw the world war 2 documentary episodes on the evacuation of Dunkirk, and the aftermath of it: The Battle of Britain. I did this so I was fully aware of the consequences of the event, and the series of events leading up to it. To say that I was hyped for the movie would just about express my excitement.

I knew that Dunkirk would be quite good, but I did not except it to be that damn good. I would probably put it up there as Nolan's greatest work. Dunkirk, for me, has been emotionally satisfying. Very few movies over the last few years have done that for me. I have enjoyed them, but not necessarily come out with a feeling of satisfaction and having thoughts about the events that happened, and how they have all been woven together to create a story for us viewers.

(source: pinterest)

Without ruining the movie, I have to say that watching the Supermarine Spitfires (my favorite vintage aircraft, by the way) fly by was a dream come true, or as close as i could get to it for now. The dogfight between the Spitfires and the ME 109 Messerschmits are a treat. The complex emotions of the pilots are broken down in a way that can get a little hard to comprehend at times, given how little dialogue is present. It is all in their eyes.

The IMAX format gives a massive sense of scale, and is probably the only format I would recommend the movie to be watched in. Nolan makes use of the vastness of the beach, the English channel and the confines of the Destroyer like a perfectionist. The movie may leave you unsatisfied if you do not watch it in IMAX.

The other common gripe that I've heard from fellow friends is that the timeline is confusing in the movie. If you have seen Nolan's previous works (Inception, for example), you will know to except nothing less from him. Your brain will have to do some amount of work to comprehend the events of the movie in the way they happen, eventually all merging together to form the complete picture.

(source: metro.co.uk)

From goosebumps to the pain of seeing soldiers drown, struggle, suffer in one of the greatest and defining events of World War 2, Dunkirk is an example of truly great cinema. It is much more than a war movie. It is about the basic moral horror war inflicts on those who are thrown into it. It is about human resilience, the will to survive, and the indomitable human spirit to do right. Nolan has got it all together, and Zimmer's music raging on in the background is the perfect combination. It shouts out to you, makes you take notice, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

And It will be one hell of an emotional, at times visceral, and triumphant ride. Go see it, and know for yourself.