Dunkirk (2017, PG-13)

Like Get Out, this was another early-release best picture contender (though it didn’t come out nearly as early as Get Out.)  At this point, it’s probably unlikely to get too much recognition – the film’s “Oscar narrative” lost momentum a while ago – but it’s an incredibly well-made film that accomplishes what it sets out to do tremendously well.

Early in World War II, the German war machine has forced the British and French troops to the beach at Dunkirk, on the wrong side of the English Channel.  With hundreds of thousands of men stranded, the Nazis closing in, and not nearly enough resources to get them all across the channel to England, the story becomes equal parts tense waiting game, mad scramble for survival, and desperate prayer for a miracle.

The film is split into three main vantage points.  We see the event from the view on the ground (following several of the soldiers frantic to get off the beach,) the sea (following an older man and two young lads taking one of the civilian “little ships” across the channel,) and the air (following two pilots exchanging volleys with German fighter plants.)

I knew a little going in about the film’s unconventional timeline (I won’t spoil the specifics of it for those who haven’t seen the movie,) and I think just knowing it was there helped me keep track of things.  As for the timeline structure itself, I’m a little mixed on it; there are a few scenes where it’s really played to the film’s advantage, but it feels like most of the time, it’s just kind of there.  I compare it to something like The Last Five Years, where the nonlinear structure absolutely enhances the story.  Here, it feels less like a vital feature and more like a hook.

The storyline intricately threads the different pieces together, all the while smacking you across the face with the intense psychological toll of war.  The thoughtful direction, frantic cinematography, and highly effective use of sound all work together to make the viewer feel dropped into the middle of this chaotic action, to all but hear the pounding hearts of the soldiers just trying to stay alive.  It’s really successful in creating that physical experience.

On the flip side, where I find it lacking is in character development.  The film boasts a strong cast (featuring Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and James D’Arcy amid less familiar faces) who all do their jobs very well, but the film very intentionally chooses not to let us get to know most of their characters.  For the most part, they feel anonymous, any one of the thousands of soldiers and civilians involved in the evacuation and who they are doesn’t really matter.  I understand the point of it, creating a greater sense of universality, but as someone who generally loves a story mainly for its characters, there’s less here for me to really hold on to.

Warnings

War violence, swearing, and thematic elements.