A mostly enjoyable, easy-to-follow biopic about one of the most important political figures of the twentieth century

Rating: 7/10 (11 January 2018)

Darkest Hour is a biographical war drama starring Gary Oldman as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Directed by Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice), it paints an interesting picture of the controversial but influential leader during a crucial moment in the history of Europe.
In 1940, Western Europe is at war with Nazi Germany, who are on the brink of invading Belgium and the Netherlands. Meanwhile in Britain, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup) is forced by the Conservative Party to resign, and his successor is announced to be Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman), a man most members of parliament do not see eye-to-eye with. Churchill's unorthodox and eccentric ways of conducting politics cause much irritation among his fellow ministers, and he must now swallow his pride to decide whether to negotiate with German leader Adolf Hitler or continue to fight on.
Featuring one of Gary Oldman's greatest performances, which is saying a great deal considering the many terrific roles he has played throughout his career, Darkest Hour is a mostly enjoyable, easy-to-follow biopic about one of the most important political figures of the twentieth century. The transformative makeup effects on Oldman and his perfect line delivery constantly make us feel as though we are watching the real Churchill on-screen and not some cheap imitation. Unfortunately, the film itself feels somewhat uneven at times, as it does not juggle the personal life and political life of Churchill as successfully as it should. There were moments where the film dragged due to inconsistent editing and poorly paced scenes that did not lead anywhere. However, Oldman's depiction of the celebrated world leader is fantastic enough to continue watching and thankfully counteracts most of the film's serious flaws.
I rate it 7/10