Nolan's Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (23 July 2017)

To call Dunkirk an epic is both an understatement and a disservice. Never does the constant tension or sheer scale of Nolan's vision hinder the intimacy between the viewer and the film, creating a personal experience rarely found in films of this scope. Dunkirk retells the famous Dunkirk Evacuation from three unique perspectives, through the eyes of those on land, air and sea. Due in part to Nolan's ambitious approach to storytelling — as well as his attention to detail in all aspects of the film-making process — Dunkirk stands as Nolan's most accomplished film yet.
In contrast to previous works, Nolan opts to keep the core story of Dunkirk simple and faithful. Where he applies his ambitious ideas is in the films structure. Dunkirk follows three separate view points within their own unique timelines. These are the fighter planes in the air, the civilian boats at sea and the men trapped on the beaches, set over one hour, one day and one week respectively. While on paper this may sound like Nolan over intellectualising this simple premise, upon viewing, these timelines seamlessly converge at the climax of the film — something that is a spectacle in itself to witness. This structure, however, serves a greater narrative purpose. It allows the viewer to see the same events from a new perspective later in the film. By allowing the viewer to witness these moments from different view points, it allows for a greater understanding of how the various characters are being affected by what is happening. An example of this can be seen when Tom Hardy watches his fellow pilot making an emergency sea landing only to shift to the perspective of the civilian boats tracking this dog fight from below, unsure of whether the pilot has survived and is in need of rescue.
In deep contrast to this bold, complex structure is the movie's sparse dialogue. Very often, Dunkirk is akin to war films of the silent era. Instead of leaning heavily on dialogue to both progress the story and give insight into the characters, Nolan chooses to convey plot points visually. The visual story telling on display here is impressive. You learn to care about these characters not through what you are told about them but through what you see them do. It is how they choose to act in situations which teaches what kind of person they are. It is what you see them experience which makes you care for their survival. It is amazing how moving Dunkirk is in spite of Nolan choosing to have several characters instead of one focal. It emphasises the reality that Dunkirk was the culmination of the actions of many.
This visual storytelling is bolstered by the outstanding ensemble cast. You have newcomers Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles and Tom Glynn-Carney matching the performances of the established cast members like Tom Hardy and Mark Rylance. A lot of the film relies on the expressions you see painted on these characters faces as the film unfolds. When you see terror in their expression you feel their fear. When you see hope light up a man's face, you feel it yourself. A particular scene that really emphasised this is when Tom Hardy is trying to decide what his next move will be. All you need to know is in the eyes. As the viewer watches Hardy's eyes, they know everything that is racing through his characters mind without a single word being uttered. This is a great example of how Nolan uses expression to invoke empathy, instead of resorting to contrived backstory. Nolan also utilises expression to more creatively depict unfolding events. There is a scene where instead of simply showing an enemy plane suddenly flying towards the beach, the camera remains fixed on Kenneth Branagh's expression as it changes from relief to terror. This shot paired with the sound of an aircraft engine approaching makes for a far more effective way of conveying impending peril. Filming the moment like this instead of simply showing the enemy plane humanises this moment since you witness how the situation affects those on the beach directly.
Nolan does not rely only on sight, instead utilising other senses to immerse the viewer, most significantly through his use of sound. This comes in the form of excellent sound design along side audio cues to further illustrate unfolding events. You feel the sound impact on your body every time bullets are fired and bombs are dropped. The sound feels so real that you never feel at ease with what you are hearing, with the hundredth bullet being just as shocking as the first. In contrast, there are moments of undisturbed silence just waiting to be shattered by another bullet. It is disparities like these which maintain the films unbroken sense of suspense, even when fighting appears to have momentarily ceased.
There is still so much that could be said about this film from its great use of practical effects over CGI to the breathtaking dogfight scenes. It is very difficult to criticise any aspect of Dunkirk. At 106 minutes, the film feels the perfect length. Not a single frame is wasted in telling the story. Viewers are left on the edge of their seat from the first frame to the last. Dunkirk perfectly conveys the trauma of war without ever glorifying it, instead telling a very human story about courage and unity, triumphing against impending doom. The directors decision to break the conventional storytelling structure of films creates a more authentic realisation of Dunkirk whilst maintaining a strong emotional connection. Dunkirk constantly reminds us that actions speak louder than words. Every aspect of this movie comes together so perfectly that Dunkirk is not only one of the greatest war films of all time but one of the greatest films of modern cinema.
This is Christopher Nolan's Magnum Opus.