Can you imagine a superhero movie right smack in the midst of summer?
And no, I’m not talking about masks, spider webs are pointed ears here.
What you get with DUNKIRK is the true story of the nearly impossible battle at Dunkirk during World War II which was really a mass evacuation of gigantic proportions.
Some would refer to it as the MIRACLE at Dunkirk.
DUNKIRK found tens of thousands of British and Allied troops trapped on the beaches of this oceanside town facing certain death by the German forces that surrounded them and were actually driving them into the English Channel.
There was but one slimmer of hope left to save those forces…
Round up and enlist every available private vessel on the British side of the English Channel and send them across to evacuate the the thousands of troops stranded on the beach and turn it into a never before attempted rescue mission by sea, air and land.
Who better to stage such a cinematic undertaking than writer, producer and director Christopher Nolan (‘InterStellar’, ‘The Batman’ trilogy) who was total hands-on including the use of large formatted cameras—not digital equipment—to capture the massive undertaking.
Note: If you’re not familiar with this patriotic, early story of World War II it sure wouldn’t hurt to do a little reading up on these historic events of 1940.
It should making your viewing experience somewhat easier as Nolan has added very little narrative to the events unfolding on the screen—except that there IS a preamble at the beginning of the picture that sets up what we’re about to experience.
Why the limited narrative?
Mr. Nolan apparently felt it to be more realistic as the story focuses primarily on getting from point A to point B.
So it wasn’t so much about words as it was about the physicalities.
Which brings us to the film’s running time. It is hard to believe that Nolan brought it in at UNDER two hours making for a much more intensive experience rather than exhausting the audience.
And here’s the real shocker!
The acclaimed filmmaker has depicted the gruesome realities of combat here at a PG-13 level—-Imagine THAT!
When it came to casting the key roles in the film, Nolan went ‘multi-generational’ with Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy while filling other major parts with the likes of young Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles (of One Direction fame.)
Definitely a most impressive production all around which seemingly delves with ease from the terrifying to the feel of an art film while making full use of Hans Zimmer’s haunting musical score.
So in fact we DO have a superhero movie in the midst of summer after all…….
DUNKIRK opens citywide.
My grade: B+
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings during Kansas City’s Morning News on 98.1 FM, KMBZ
It has received great reviews from most, but Rex Reed’s stands out.
What a grouch.
Hilarious though.
http://observer.com/2017/07/dunkirk-review-christopher-nolan/
I was really looking forward to this movie and it was a flop. It felt like a newsreel of battle footage with dialogue you could not understand.
But..but where’s muh black people??? -clueless minority reviewer
For once I agree with Rainbow Man. I went and saw it last night, was not thrilled. Yes it was a nice visual piece, will get nominated for photography….but script was weak. No character backgrounds or story lines…Tom Hardy a waste, nothing from him, you just had little interest in anyone in the movie, they had no back story at all….it was a documentary as Rainbow Man said…nice but kinda boring…battle scenes were pretty but flat, poor as in not realistic with gunfire or real bombings looks….it ain’t no SAVING PRIVATE RYAN….I gave it a C.