Review of Darkest Hour (2017) by Dave W — 17 Feb 2018

The fact that Winston Churchill was a great wartime leader is not in doubt. What is also known extremely well are the man's quirks and idiosyncrasies, the stooped walk and endless cigar puffing. But has a dramatic production ever truly brought the man to life quite like this before?

Well, we've had the excellent John Lithgow in The Crown and the likeable Timothy Spall in The King's Speech. Looking further back, Robert Hardy played the part superbly too. But, for me, they are all trumped by the mastery of Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour.

Gary Oldman has long been a mesmeric force on screen. Whether playing Dracula, Mason Verger or Commissioner James Gordon, he has an intensity matched by few others. And it's this kind of brooding, hypnotic performance that he brings to Darkest Hour.

From the first moment we see his Churchill, lit up momentarily by the spark of a cigar-lighting match, we're drawn in. Yes, the voice and walk and stoop and gruffness are all there, as one would expect. But Oldman's Churchill is so much more.

He literally fills the screen for practically the whole 2 hour + running time. And how pleased we are that he does. Quite simply, one cannot take one's eyes off him. And when the film's over, there's a sense of loss; like we've been privileged to spend the briefest amount of time in the company of the man himself. Not merely an actor playing a role. But actually the living embodiment - the spirit - of Britain's greatest wartime leader.

As for the rest of the film, ignore the negative reviews. I thought the whole piece was superb, with razor sharp writing and excellent characterisations of the supporting players... from Kristin Scott Thomas' long-suffering, supportive Clementine, to Ben Mendelsohn's superb turn as King George VI.

Will Gary Oldman win the best actor Oscar? If he doesn't, it will be a travesty. Is Darkest Hour the greatest filmic tribute to Britain's indomitable wartime leader? Absolutely, yes.