Dunkirk

   Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, this brilliant new war drama tells the story of Dunkirk from three interlocking perspectives. It's Mr. Nolan's unique vision and remarkable direction that depicts a fresh and original take on this true story of World War II.

     In 1940, British and other allied troops were driven back to the beaches of Dunkirk by German forces. 400,000 troops were stranded waiting for ships that couldn't reach the beach through the shallow water. Strafed and bombed by the German aircraft, the British were easy targets while waiting for help. Mr Nolan divides the picture into three sections, from the land, sea, and air.  The time frame of the film also shifts with the different views and eventually we are watching the same action from all three perspectives.  

     It's an original way to tell the story of the massive evacuation. Mr. Nolan also make a deliberate choice to have little dialog focusing instead on the intensity and immediacy of what is happening to these soldiers.  Each perspective is seen through the eyes of particular characters. Tom Hardy is a British pilot already in the air hunting the German planes. Mark Rylance is a civilian sailor enlisted by the Navy to use his boat and many like him to sail across the Channel to help rescue the stranded soldiers. and Fionn Whitehead is the British soldier (with the most screen time) on the beach doing his best to survive and get home. Another deliberate decision by Mr. Nolan to use an unknown actor to represent "everyman", that forces the audience to focus on the character and the action around him, rather than the actor himself.

There are other recognizable actors in the film, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh,and Harry Styles (in his acting debut) but the real star is the film itself.  

                 With the help of a fantastic score that piles on the intensity, the suspense never lets up from the opening moments throughout the entire film. The running time is efficiently just under two hours with no wasted moments. Shot in 70mm, the cinematography is brilliant and the film deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible as Nr. Nolan's camera takes in everything, from every angle. Authentic boats and ships (many original ones) help recreate the story. Hundreds of extras and stunt people keep the film grounded in reality. The film is a lock for a Best Picture and Best Director nominations  and probably many more.  It reinforces the brilliance of Christopher Nolan as one of our greatest contemporary filmmakers. Don't miss it.