Dunkirk - Film Review

  TheBloodyCritique’s ‘Dunkirk’ Film Review

Am I the only person who thinks Christopher Nolan looks and sounds like Tim-Nice-But-Dim from Harry Enfield and Chums? Set during WWII, Dunkirk is a survival/suspense film which follows the story of a large scale evacuation of British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in France to escape advancing German forces. Featuring an ensemble cast which includes Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy, Dunkirk is told from the perspective of soldiers on the beach waiting to be rescued, The Royal Navy and civilian boats who arrive to assist the soldiers and Spitfire pilots who protect them from the sky. The story is told very much from the point of view of the characters, it’s about visual storytelling and building tension, from the moment the film starts it’s like a ticking bomb and you’re always waiting for it to explode! 

I’m a big Christopher Nolan fan, I’ve enjoyed all eight of his films and he’s yet to make a bad one, he’s a master of his craft and being 8-0 I was excited to see his next offering. Dunkirk doesn’t disappoint, it’s an extremely well made film, it’s well written and well directed with great performances and a gripping score from Hans Zimmer, I enjoyed it quite a bit, I wasn’t as in love with it as I wanted to be but it’s still a great effort! It’s not quite as interesting as Memento or exciting as Inception and it doesn’t have characters as memorable as The Dark Knight but Dunkirk is still a masterpiece in its own right, it’s about on par with Insomnia or The Prestige, it’s not something I’d rush back to but I can see myself watching it again at some point.

The first 20 minutes of the film has almost no dialogue in it, it’s just a slow build of tension that continues and becomes more and more extreme throughout the film, in an interview Nolan mentioned what he describes as a snowball effect he’d noticed in the third act of his films and his intention with Dunkirk was for that snowball effect to be present from start to finish, basically he wanted to create a suspenseful tension that lasted the entire film. It was successful in that regard, I was, especially midway through the film, on the edge of my seat, it’s a constant feeling of not being able to relax, it’s a series of escalations that continue to get worse for the characters and it’s directed in a way that puts you there with them, you’re on the ships, you’re on the beach, you’re in the cockpit of a Spitfire. 

I really liked Dunkirk, I didn’t love it though, I wasn’t as gripped as I wanted to be but I appreciate Nolan’s vision and I respect Dunkirk for the visual masterpiece that it is, it truly is beautiful work but I just wasn’t fully invested in the characters and for me that’s probably the most important aspect of a film. Would I recommend it? I would! Especially to film fans but also to casual viewers as well, less so to casual viewers I can imagine some people finding Dunkirk too slow but it’s worth the risk. Christopher Nolan does it again! I know all of his films aren’t perfect but you have to admit, they almost are. I enjoyed Dunkirk, it’s masterful work and I look forward to his next film! I’m giving Dunkirk 7.7/10.  

What's your favourite Christopher Nolan film?