A summer contender

Rating: 8/10 (26 July 2017)

Dunkirk - Stunning visuals and thundering sound bring you up close to this unheralded event in world history. But a scattered timeline and lack of character development still keep you at arm's length.
This was a story my American ears hadn't heard before. I thought not having Old Glory planted on beaches or painted on hulls would maybe not get me as invested. After all, each war film I'd seen prior to this had that key element of American pride that goes right to my heart. This film, however, offered the opportunity to bring out that same level of pride in the company we keep as a nation.
These Allies are deftly portrayed by both A-listers and new-comers. Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy re-team with Nolan, bringing a presence that we now just take for granted, even in their smaller roles. Christopher Nolan is a master of visual storytelling. This comes in especially handy since what little dialogue is given is often difficult to discern. I had to just take the context of the situation to fill in what I thought they were saying.
I also have to say I didn't much care for the timeline that was used to tell the story. It's presented up front that the three different groups of characters we follow are being shown from different times, but the payoff is minimal. With a runtime of only 1:45, the film could easily afford 30 minutes added at the outset to get you familiar with each crew, and then allow the story to play out in real time from there. So while I prefer my movies to be more character driven, the focus is clear: this was about the mission, not the man.
Will the academy remember a PG-13 war movie that came out in the summer when putting together their Best Picture list? While not as big of a longshot as Best Original Screenplay for June's 'It Comes at Night', Best Director for Jordan Peele for February's 'Get Out', or Best Actor for James McAvoy in January's 'Split', it still does make me wonder. If all Dunkirk sees are nods for sound editing and sound mixing, which it absolutely deserves, it will be a true oversight. From where I'm standing you can forget November. 2017's Oscar season started at New Year's. 8.25/10.