A war film that actually feels real

Rating: 8/10 (3 June 2018)

When you think of some of the greatest war films in history, there are a few that come to mind. From 'Saving Private Ryan' to 'Platoon' and 'Full Metal Jacket,' there are a few that have made a huge impact on society and are considered to be some of the greatest cinema made.
Enter 'Dunkirk.' Christopher Nolan's extravagant take on the evacuation of allied forces from a French beach town during WWII as the German forces descended on them. Central to the events was the fact that British civilians were called on to man their own vessels so that they could make the trip across the English Channel and lend a hand in the evacuation, as the German air force complicated the rescue mission from above.
The main reason 'Dunkirk' works so well is it feels "real." Nolan is a master of letting elements unfold on screen without the need to add unnecessary dialogue. The use of sound and wide shots of the open water and beach give the audience an immersive experience, which explains the three Oscar wins for sound editing, mixing and film editing and multiple other nominations. There are enough moments throughout the film to get your heart racing that are truly genuine.
Other achievements by Nolan in the film include the ability to develop many characters in such a short runtime. The audience gets to know Mr. Dawson and his son Peter (Mark Rylance and Tom Glynn-Carney), who heroically race to save soldiers on their personal boat, as well as British soldier Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) and fighter pilots Farrier and Collins (Tom Hardy and Jack Lowden) whose heroics collectively make a difference in the effort.
'Dunkirk' will likely be remembered as one of the better efforts in this genre for years to come, and a large part of this is Nolan's application of film techniques that have worked for many of his previous projects.