Thinking Man's Movie

Rating: 7/10 (25 February 2018)

For all it's obvious grit, gore, loss and greed, this movie serves as a behind the scenes reminder to how much of WWII was fought not just on the battlefields but in the stuffy buildings (and minds) of the British. I will not detail every nuance of this film as I'm others have more succinctly presented, but I will say there's something here which is quite undeniably unique.
As Winston Churchhill, Gary Oldman graces us with a very dedicated performance, (which was not solely achieved in makeup alone but...) admirably represented a significant amount of research resulting in his very complete character. The accompanying cast filled their roles well, no doubt inspired by equally well-designed sets---transporting us back to a part of historic Great Britain. Yes, the movie dragged a bit, something this category often does. But I felt it was a timely shift from the blood we often see in war movies to a view of what goes on in the minds of men who make good things happen.
Darkest Hour paradoxically brightens near the end as Churchhill questions the people on the train, a scene it felt the whole movie was waiting for. Bringing the whole story together, and possibly serving as a challenge in asking ourselves the same questions.