Review of Dunkirk (2017) by Masterriley — 21 Jul 2017

Dunkirk is an incredible and authentic war film about the true story of 400,000 allied soldiers being trapped on the beaches of Northern France, surrounded by the powerful German army. As time runs out and the Germans slowly approach, the allied soldiers come closer to their fate. However what makes the story so great is the miracle that occurs shortly after; when innocent British civilians voluntarily boat over to the beaches rescuing the allied soldiers. In the end they were able to rescue over 300,000 men, making it one of the most miraculous and important moments in human history.

Going into the movie you will most likely already have a basic idea of what happened. What is more important about Dunkirk is how the film uses cinematography, music, characters, and so on to interpret what actually happened. And I can confidently say that the movie executes all these elements masterfully. I had the privilege of seeing Dunkirk in true IMAX 70mm film, a first for me. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had at the cinema. My favourite moment was the opening shot; it goes from blackness to completely filling up that massive screen with crystal clear image quality. I was immediately blown away by that opening shot of the allied soldiers walking down the street. The amazing sound punched in when the first few gun shots fired off; so loud and lifelike they startled me as if I were actually there. The entire movie was shot on film and over 70 percent was done on IMAX cameras. It fits the movie perfectly as the large picture size compliments the spectacle of the beach and ocean environments. If there is one movie you should see in true IMAX 70mm film, it is this one.

Christopher Nolan has done an immaculate job with depicting the war and turning it into a cinematic experience. He chose not to use blood and gore; but rather focuses on elements such as time running out, fear, and claustrophobia to emphasize how terrible the war was. This gives his film a unique tone, making it stand out when compared to other WW2 films. The cinematography is gorgeous; a lot of tracking and closeup shots are used to make you feel like you are in the horrific events with the soldiers. Specifically during boat sinking scenes; when soldiers are drowning the camera will go underwater with them and make the viewer become disoriented much like the characters are. Hans Zimmer's score is simple yet effective, using a ticking clock to emphasize that time is running out. And the other tones he uses help to effectively add to the tension of each scene. The film is also primarily shot on the exact same beach where the real events took place. Many of the original boats and planes from the war were also used for filming. And to avoid using a lot of CGI, cardboard cut outs of soldiers were used to give the illusion of a massive army on the beaches. Christopher Nolan made the movie as real as it could be, and it definitely pays off when you finally sit down to watch it. There is never one point in the movie where you will doubt its authenticity.

The characters of the film take a back seat to the war, as that is what it is really about. However I still found myself quite invested in the main character's journeys throughout the movie. The movie has a unique element to it, as it actually tells 3 stories in 1; a week long story on the beaches, a day long story on the ocean, and an hour long story in the air. Each story focuses on a few key characters and we get to see how they all collide with each other at the end of the movie. So while the war itself is the main point of the movie, you will still find yourself rooting for specific characters as they are all interesting and relatable. In my opinion, Dunkirk is a masterpiece. It is a great reminder of the brave men that fought for our freedom in the war, and is a fantastic cinematic experience.