It made me feel like I was in the moment

Rating: 9/10 (16 April 2020)

Every time Christopher Nolan makes a film, I get excited. He is a filmmaker who has made countless classics and possesses a lot of creativity. It's interesting to see him make a war film like Dunkirk and after watching it, I wish I witnessed it in a cinema.
Dunkirk recounts the extraordinary event where soldiers from Britain, France and Belgium are trying to get evacuated from Dunkirk whilst being surrounded by the Germans.
If there's one thing you can be sure of when going into a Nolan film is that the film is going to be a cinematic experience. I really regret missing Dunkirk at the cinemas and watching it in IMAX because this film is a technical achievement. I love Nolan's usage of practical effects in all of his movies. It shows how much he cares about realism in his films. Dunkirk uses real boats, real planes and thousands of extras to make this event look as authentic as possible. I couldn't stop marvelling at how amazing this film looked. The camerawork was absolutely incredible. There are a lot of beautiful shots and it wasn't too shaky.
The sound design and sound editing were fantastic. The spitfire scenes looked so real and the sound they made whilst firing didn't seem unrealistic at all. The editing is very tight. This is one of Nolan's shorter films but that's not a bad thing because it doesn't waste time or overstay its welcome. Right from the beginning you are in the moment and doesn't give you any time to breathe until the end. Hans Zimmer gives us another impactful score that heightens the tension during every scene.
A major complaint will be the lack of character. This film follows three different perspectives of the event but there isn't anyone you feel a personal connection with. That is the only flaw I can pick out. I would have loved to connect with someone particularly but it's important to remember that Dunkirk is about the event and not the people. During an event like this, it wouldn't feel right for characters to talk about themselves or their family since their main priority is surviving. I feel all the actors involved conveyed the intensity of the situation and fear of survival through their expressions.
Dunkirk was a riveting experience. It's a humongous spectacle that's makes you feel like you're there with the rest of the soldiers. It's a film that intense all the way through and another successful triumph for Christopher Nolan.