Nolanesque War Movie...very good

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2017)

"Wars are not won by evacuations..." Words spoken by Churchill after the events depicted in Christopher Nolan's latest film DUNKIRK. Yet, Nolan chooses this backdrop to deliver a war movie that is as immersive as the D-Day landing in Saving Private Ryan. But the similarities end there.
Nolan uses three different vantage points each with a different time-line: The Mole, the rock wall protecting the harbor, over a full week; the Air over the course of only an hour; and the Sea over a full day. All this is presented with typeface near the beginning of the film to help orient the viewer to what's being shown.
What is unique is that Nolan uses non-linear storytelling. By doing so, we become immersed in the events as though we are each of the characters. Similar to Memento or Interstellar, Nolan again shows confidence in the audience and we are rewarded for it. We won't find long lines of exposition to explain things. Neither does he ask for our emotions in conventional ways. Rather by utilizing visual angles, intense sound, and non-verbal cues, he urges us to become immersed in the story with these soldiers, pilots and merchant marines and day fisherman bringing home across the channel. In only one instance did I sense Nolan obviously building a crescendo of emotions at the events on the screen. Despite this, there is much to appreciate in this film.
Where many war movies generally depict impressive battlefield or theater heroism against great odds usually resulting in rescue or victory. Nolan delivers a more poignant look inside war from what Churchill also called a "colossal military disaster." Because of its unique look at war, it is definitely worth a look.
B+