Brilliantly tension filled and visually amazing war movie.

Rating: 9/10 (22 July 2017)

Christopher Nolan has done an amazing job bringing to life the true story of the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk. From start to finish, the entire movie is filled with tension Dunkirk separates itself from many war movies. It doesn't heavily rely on dialogue, backstories, blockbusting sequences or any sentimental moments to keep the movie going. Surprisingly it does not rely on showcasing the horrors of war graphic violence which seems to be a trademark for a majority of war movies (i.e. Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, Full Metal Jacket et al). Instead, it cleverly focuses on three non-linear story lines which intertwine with each other.
The first viewpoint is on land with the main focus being on British soldiers Tommy (newcomer Fionn Whitehead), Alex (One Direction's Harry Styles who proves that he is not just a pretty face), and Gibson (Aneurin Barnard) who are fighting to survive by evacuating Dunkirk by sea. Also on the ground is Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh) who is overseeing the evacuation of Dunkirk.
The second viewpoint is from the air with a trio of Royal Air Force pilots led by Farrier (Tom Hardy) providing air support to the troops on the ground. As they battle the various German fighter planes, they find themselves outnumbered and must successfully outlast and outwit the Germans to keep themselves and everyone on ground alive. Not only that, they must monitor their fuel usage.
The third viewpoint is from the sea. The British Navy is coordinating the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk and this includes commandeering private boats. Mr Dawson (Mark Rylance) and his son Peter (Tom Glynn-Carney) refuse to let the British Navy take their boat but instead go out on their own to assist in the evacuation. Teenage deckhand George (Barry Keoghan) impulsively joins in, hoping he can help make a difference. Along the way they rescue a shell shocked soldier (Cillian Murphy) who is the sole survivor of a wrecked ship following an attack by a U Boat.
Ever since his directorial debut with the clever thriller Memento (2000), Christopher Nolan has never put a step wrong throughout his career. So far in his stellar career, The Dark Knight trilogy has been his biggest crowning achievement. Here he continues his impeccable track record with the brilliant Dunkirk. Everything about it is top notch. The story wastes no time at all and everything about it just gets to the point and you find yourself rarely taking a breath let along looking away from the screen for a split second. Dunkirk was also terrific in not letting the movie carry on for 2-3 hours but instead keeps it tightly wound at 106 minutes.
If I was a betting man, I'm tipping Dunkirk to receive recognition form the various Award Ceremonies as well as one of the main movies to be heavily featured at next year's Academy Awards. And it's about time Christopher Nolan receives a well deserved Academy Award for his work. Dunkirk is very well done and is definitely one of the most memorable movies so far in 2017.
9/10.