Poetry in Motion

Rating: 10/10 (25 July 2017)

Too often, war films fit in a convenient narrative box. Take Saving Private Ryan ( a masterpiece which I love by the way). Time is taken to craft the narrative, introduce characters, etc. And nowadays we take that formula for granted. I remember the year Saving Private Ryan and altogether different war film called The Thin Red Line was released. Critics praised it, film goers loathed it. I did not like it much the first viewing either. I agreed with others that there was not enough action, many actors (such as George Clooney) had performances that barely registered. But the experience of the film stayed with me. The Thin Red Line was visual poetry, and an examination of mans duality with nature and the indifference of war.
I bring this up because, in many ways, because Dunkirk is sort of a spiritual successor to The Thin Red Line without the internal philosophical monologues. Dunkirk is heart pounding and riveting. It is the most intense film I've seen in years. The dialogue is sparse, characters are too numb by the experience to bother. Character development is minimal. The film is too urgent to get caught up in such trappings when the goal is just to survive.The film is a masterpiece for those two reasons. The film is an experience and the story is Dunkirk. Even watching the film you feel the futility and insignificance of individual lives in the midst of war. It is a best picture contender that goes against the grain. What Nolan achieves here is mesmerizing and true poetry in motion.