Brutal and Memorable

Rating: 8/10 (23 July 2017)

DUNKIRK review
Dunkirk follows three stories – one that takes place on the land, one that takes place on the sea, and one that takes place in the air. Each story revolves around the evacuation of Dunkirk during World War 2.
I'm not a fan of war movies. I know, sue me. It's probably because I've never seen a really good one. I also wasn't a fan of Christopher Nolan's last directorial effort Interstellar. Though he's easily my favorite director, with films such as The Prestige, The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception, my excitement for this film was virtually nonexistent. I had low expectations.
The film clocks in at a brisk 1 hour and 46 minutes, boasting Nolan's shortest run time for a film in recent memory. Due to the short amount of time you're in your seat, the film moves quickly. If it had been any longer, it would have suffered.
It's hard to say what Dunkirk is about, because the film doesn't feature a main protagonist, and definitely doesn't follow the classic Hollywood structure we're so used to. The dialogue is minimal, and at most times indiscernible. It's told with a non- linear structure and never really explains exactly what's going on. All of this hurts the film but helps the film at the same time.
Despite its downfalls, any audience member can tell how good Christopher Nolan is. He has full control of this film. Nothing is out of place. Everything is where it should be. Hoyte van Hoytema is quickly proving himself to be one of the best cinematographers to date. And Hans Zimmer delivers a chilling score that blends so well with the movie, you'll forget it's there.
If this movie doesn't win an Academy Award in any category relating to sound mixing, then something is wrong with Hollywood. The movie is so loud at times that you have to cover your ears, yet can immediately drop to absolute silence without feeling unnatural.
The performances are rich, though I couldn't tell you a single character's name. The movie isn't about people, it's about war. Having grown up in America, I knew nothing about the evacuation of Dunkirk. It was educational. And like any war movie should do, it helped me gain more appreciation for the men and women who serve all countries. Of course, Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy must be mentioned and given a shout of excellence.
Nolan is a brave director. Anybody could tell you that. He trusts his audience to be smart. While most summer blockbuster films tell you exactly what's going on at all times, Nolan expects you to pay attention. A lot of his movies require active viewing, which is what sets them so far aside from other films. Dunkirk, like I mentioned before, is told non-linearly. Everything happens out of order. Some scenes are repeated up to three times. He leaves it up to you, as the viewer, to keep track of our three coinciding story lines and understand how they all relate to one another.
Because of the lack of a protagonist, the movie's emotional beats are nearly absent, save for the resolution of the story. It's not necessarily a bad thing for this movie, though it would absolutely fail in any other Hollywood film released this year. Again, Dunkirk is impossible to explain because it is so different from anything else.
The film earns its PG-13 but definitely doesn't push it. The movie gets you to wince and jump, yet it doesn't feel the need to show buckets of blood pouring from wounds. Aside from a couple F-words, which don't stand out due to the English accents and quiet dialogue, it's appropriate for most people.
It's not my favorite Nolan movie, not even close, but that's to be taken lightly. Like I mentioned before, I don't love war films. Dunkirk is a feat. It's well-crafted, beautifully executed and proves that Christopher Nolan can accomplish anything.
8.3/10