Watery wartime soup

Rating: 8/10 (18 February 2008)

Just as food was rationed in World War II, the watery-thin story line of this film is strung out and made to last for 130 minutes. There is simply not enough meat here, not enough to get your teeth into and I left the cinematic table still feeling hungry.
But setting the story aside, there is much to appreciate. The casting is perfect. Although good in the role, Keira Kightley's character doesn't have enough to do, and not enough to merit her Bafta nomination. James McAvoy is excellent, and a worthy contender for his nomination. But he has no chance against the towering performance of Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men" this time around  his time will surely come. Vanessa Redgrave makes an appearance at the very end of the film, and spends 10 minutes or so in close up. Using every nuance of her facial expression, she is wonderfully moving.
Wartime England is fastidiously recreated, with meticulous attention to detail, and with remarkable authenticity. I really felt like I was there. The cinematography and art direction are exquisite, as are the costumes, and easily merit their Oscar nominations.
It seemed to me as though 90% of the budget was spent on one scene; on the beaches of Dunkerque, an enormous sprawling set with thousands of extras, where the camera wanders around and through the activities of the soldiers (not sure why?). it goes on forever. Perhaps they had some cash left in the budget and so decided to splash out on a "big" scene. Big it is, and painstakingly created, but it is to my mind also superfluous; visual padding to compensate for the inadequate storyline.
There was a wartime joke in England: "If this is chicken soup, then the chicken must have walked through it on stilts". That just about sums it up.
This is watery soup served in an exquisite hand-painted porcelain bowl