Nolan captures the anxiety of war

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2017)

Christopher Nolan's story of Dunkirk is not the traditional war story. His film is experiential. It does not show the opposing sides face to face or give background information. Instead it puts you right in the thick of disaster. He turns the classic war story on its head. Putting the audience in the action and making us feel the sense of urgency these men faced. This is a story of heroism, but it is also a story of fear and panic. The film allows for the viewer to feel afraid, to be unsure of what will happen. In traditional war films the enemy is clear and visible, but in Dunkirk the whole landscape is the enemy, the Germans could be anywhere. This is not a film about war, it is a film about the fear that comes with tragedy and the response to that fear.
Christopher Nolan has created a harrowing film. He expertly crafts a palpable sense of unease. The minimal dialogue and phenomenal sound track/ sound design further aid in building the sense of impending doom. Zimmer will most definitely be nominated for an Oscar for his soundtrack. As the events of Dunkirk drag on, you can hear the ticking of a watch laid over explosions, lapping water, plane engines, and bombs. Time is running out and you can feel the desperation the soldiers felt. The panic is evident, it is tangible. The dismal color grading, the sprawling landscapes, and the use of practical effects only heightened the intensity of the film. I could feel myself desperately hoping that the characters on screen would survive. I felt myself holding my breath when Collins' plane went down. I couldn't help but feel devastated when all the soldiers and nurses drowned. My heart was pounding through the 106 minutes and I almost forgot that 338,000 men made it out of Dunkirk.
The non linear story line helped add to the anxiety and uncertainty. The intersecting narratives provide a frantic environment, not dissimilar to the experience of war. The interactions between the narratives made for some very beautiful moments in terms of story telling. The British soldiers turning away French soldiers only for Aneurin Barnard's character to later admit he is a French Soldier in the midst of panic over the possibility of him being a German spy. Cillian Murphy turning Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles away from the rescue boats only for the 3 of them to later be rescued by Mark Rylance. Collin's being rescued from his plane by Rylance and later helping rescue Whitehead and Styles connected the 3 factions; air, sea, and land. Nolan expertly intertwines and connects these characters without ever having them get to know each other. They are connected by their experiences.
I was extremely impressed by the acting. I realize that there wasn't much dialogue, but the way the actors portrayed and emoted fear was extremely realistic. I could feel the uncertainty being stifled by Kenneth Branagh, the horror experienced by Cillian Murphy, and the grief portrayed by Tom Glynn-Carneyr. Even the actors with minimal screen time wonderfully expressed skepticism, dread, and sorrow. Tom Hardy's performance perfectly captured stoicism, while Fionn Whitehead captured doubt superbly. Aneurin Barnard's nervous, resigned mannerisms made his character suspicious from the beginning. His panicked "Je suis French!" became much more than a sigh of relief. I was extremely impressed with the new comers- namely Fionn and Harry Styles. I found them to both be extremely believable, Especially the angry trepidation of Harry Styles. So if you had doubts about Harry's performance, lay them aside, he was a welcome surprise. Nolan's choice to cast young lesser known actors truly paid off and made for an even more devastating blow when they were met with tragedy.
Dunkirk was a beautifully shot, wonderfully cast, edge of your seat film. I didn't know a film could be such an experience. Well done, Nolan.