Brilliant.

Rating: 10/10 (5 February 2018)

I just want to say this: the moment Jordan died on that ship I felt most devastated, there was a deep feeling of injustice when that happened. Later on, we see a bigger ship being bombed and dozens of men jumping on the sea, drowning and being burned to death. As I was still thinking of Jordan's dead body being left behind I realized that all these other men were also Jordans, they were all men who deserved better and a chance to live, to go home. This movie is trying to show this exactly, that men are not meant be heroes in times of war, but to survive, because that is who we are, humans with instincts. Nolan wants to show the absolute truth about war through bombs and chaos and death and fear but most importantly he shows us the truth of our nature. Heroism is not part of it. War is and so is death. So, we make a choice between war and peace, death and life. There's nothing in between.
Also, by focusing on three different perspectives all at once and not having main characters, he sacrifices emotional focus for the sake of reality through a grander picture of the situation. We see all the soldiers trying to survive, not just one or two and that was the most brilliant decision a director could make for an anti-war movie. It's not only about showing the facts and events of that moment in history and portray the sacrifice and devastation of troops and ships but also to show what it also means. It means that thousands of people died there and hundreds of others tried desperately to go home. They were many and this movie depicts their story and not only 'his' story. By lacking an emotional focus, the whole movie becomes the emotional focus, not just one character whom we just hope he lives by the end of the movie. We need everyone to live.
Another scene that got my attention was the moment when the other soldiers demanded that Jordan left the boat so that everyone else could survive. That scene shows the variety and unpredictability of the human character. At times of war or generally times of pressure, people show their true faces and that was the moment for these soldiers. One of them refused categorically to sacrifice Jordan whereas the rest of them would not hear of it. They were led by fear only and fear was led by war.
This movie succeeds to show multiple aspects and points of view of a historical moment of war while simultaneously using colors and cinematography to contrast chaos with life. Nolan shares deeper views on war through the reality and psychology of the characters and deprives no soldier of the right to be noticed and appreciated. This movie is worth watching more than once, but most importantly being understood in a deeper level as regards humanity as a collective in times of war.