Review of Dunkirk (2017) by Declan G — 16 Aug 2017

Tension builds, lives are at stake and excess is on full display with Christopher Nolan's 104 min big budget experimental film with 2017s Dunkirk-an experience that is cinematic in the purest sense but lacks that something special.

On a superficial level Dunkirk tics many boxes. It is beautifully shot (by Nolan's new go-to cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, who previously shot 2014s Interstellar), the attention to detail is uncanny, the score from Hans Zimmer is predictably terrific (continuing his fruitful partnership with Nolan-their 7th collaboration together), the cast is amazing on paper (featuring Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance and Cillian Murphy) but the fabric that connects all these threads together-the story-is a dud of a torpedo, failing on impact.

Although Christopher Nolan has shown he can successfully weave a compelling narrative on his own (with 2010s classic Inception and with his debut feature, 1998s Following), it is evident that the influence of his brother, Jonathon, is missing with this project (perhaps too busy with HBOs Westworld?) and it results in Dunkirk being too top-heavy on style, lacking any real substance after the initial shock and awe.

With no characters to be able to relate to (and maybe that is the point-we shouldn't need a reason to care for their well-being) and with a pace that is so relentless, there is a point in the film where the entire weight of the experience begins to cave-in on itself and all that detail and accuracy that Nolan demands is exposed through an artificial story, unnecessary gimmicks (there are unorthodox time jumps that are very jarring) and convenient story telling that drag Dunkirk deep into a watery ocean rather than flying heights-marking it as disappointing effort from the influential director.