Smoke On The Water And Fire In The Sky

Rating: 4/10 (5 August 2017)

This afternoon I went to see DUNKIRK since a dear friend from the UK (and she knows who she is) recommended it the other day. I thought the film really captured the panic, terror, and confusion of battle, but I didn't particularly like any of the characters and I thought the dialogue was very poorly written (and hard to hear.) Some things I thought were just silly, like the way the pilot in the ocean can't open his escape hatch just so the nice man in the boat can rescue him more excitingly! And the way those soldiers all climb into a boat that's just lying on the sand and then just wait until they get shot at and start yelling at each other. Worst of all was the Spitfire that just ran out of gas in mid air, and just went right on gliding along for another half hour!
Beneath the silliness, there was a lot of spineless political correctness. I listened closely, (had to, with such dreadful sound editing and a dreadful soundtrack) but I never once heard the word "Nazi," or the word "Hitler." Or Gestapo, or Brownshirt, or Jew. You'd never know the "enemy" had done anything to fill the mild-mannered British people with such desperate resolve! Who on earth were the film makers covering up for? And what exactly did they imagine they were celebrating? Shell shock and shaky nerves? Men hitting each other in blind panic? Random explosions and tons of flame? Smoke on the water, and fire in the sky? (Now THAT would have livened up the soundtrack.)
If you watch this movie, you won't learn anything about how the British pulled off a miracle at Dunkirk. Or why Hitler was a menace and his army were criminals. But you will see lots of close ups of Kenneth Branagh and you will have lots of time to contemplate the sublime beauty of his flabby old face looking pained and noble. Thanks chaps!
If you ever want to see a really good movie about this exact moment in British history, you should watch MRS. MINIVER with Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. It was made in Hollywood but it's such a loving tribute to the British people, their kindness and gentleness and sense of humor as well as their strength and patriotism. It's a million times better than Dunkirk!