Stunning masterclass in filmmaking.

Rating: 10/10 (24 July 2017)

I've been looking forward to this film for what seems like an eternity and usually - when that's the case - I tend to end up nit-picking and getting frustrated with the finished product. A film that promises more than it can deliver. Thankfully, this is not the case with "Dunkirk" and Christopher Nolan reminds us, again, why he is one of the most important film directors of the now.
From the opening scenes, this film is tense. The story follows three situations: a young soldier trying to get away from Dunkirk, the fighter planes sent to try and keep the troops on the beach safe and one of the "civilian" ships that crossed the channel to try and bring the troops back. Each little story being tense in their own right and telling their own story. Not a single frame wasted in this beautifully shot film. Dialogue is minimum but Hans Zimmer score stops there from being completely silent. A score which doesn't really let up for the 1:46 minute running time. A running time, again, which is nigh on perfect. Too long and you'll be bored. There is no padding here. The story tells what needs to be told.
Even Harry Styles didn't do the bad job people thought of him. Sure, he's not going to be an award winning actor any time soon but - for what he had to do in this film - he played the part well; as did the rest of the cast. Mark Rylance as the father setting sail from England to help those he can, with his son. Tom Hardy the fighter pilot... Hardy doing a great performance considering, for pretty much the whole film, we only see his eyes through his goggles. The emotion and intensity burning through just his eyes is immense. That being said, there are a lot of names in this film (Hardy, Rylance, Brannagh....) but no actor is bigger than the film. They all play their part and none of them distract from the story.
I was excited to watch this film. I'm more excited to see it again.