An unlikely Oscar nominee came from the mind of Christopher Nolan last July, the first true Nolan film since Interstellar and, more amazingly, the first one without Michael Caine since 2000.
True to its name, Dunkirk is a tough-as-nails depiction of the World War II Dunkirk evacuation wherein 338,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated from the area after being surrounded by German forces.
Its cast is very atypical of Nolan’s go-to lineup, with names like Fionn Whitehead, Jack Lowden and, a name atypical of any film’s lineup: Harry Styles.
I call this film an “unlikely” nominee because it would be easy and arguably fair for a viewer to look at Dunkirk, roll their eyes and dismiss it as just another war movie. Because World War II is admittedly overdone in cinema, it would have to do something truly different to really earn that “Best Picture” nomination.
Dunkirk does just this–to call it a “war movie” doesn’t feel quite right, not because it lacks war, but because it doesn’t conform to the traditional movie definition. The dialogue is sparse, character names barely exist and, as is often the case with Nolan, this requires the viewer to pay close attention.
As far as war goes, the battles it depicts aren’t always concerned with planes and U-boats–sometimes it’s between two allies or even inside one character’s self-struggle as he tries to cope with war, making the film feel almost like an existential question about human conflict.
This makes Dunkirk not a war movie, but a collection of “war moments” very artfully pieced together, sometimes intentionally out of order, in such a way that provides a full perspective of the evacuation. This perspective can be from land, sea or air, following several different characters who, despite being more or less nameless, are incredibly easy to connect to. This makes it all the more powerful when many of them, even in the last minutes of the movie, have their arcs end in tragedy, seeming to imply that victory and defeat are equally noble in a beautiful paradox.
This doesn’t mean Dunkirk is without its challenges. As might be expected of a war-related film, this movie is not for the faint of heart, both in content and execution.
The tension in this movie is almost agonizing–from the beginning, the movie grabs you, holds you and just doesn’t let go until the screen goes black. This, combined with the requirement of an unstinting and devoted attention span, can make for an exhausting experience, rife with the same grittiness as war tends to bring.
The overall grim feel of the movie is in many ways admirable, but can feel ruthless at times, especially when historical accuracy seems to trump story elements in a reversal of most historical fiction.
The reality of Dunkirk is its strongest element and, ironically, what may prove to be its Achilles’ heel. Viewers who prefer a story they can engage with and experience in their own way may find Dunkirk impenetrable–but those who want a story that engages them without apology or hesitation will value it. They may just find it to be this season’s “Best Picture.”
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