THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Like any and every war, time is of the essence because you never know when it can be over for all or one. No film could make that any more true after watching 2017’s Dunkirk.
PLOT
The film takes place during the 1940’s Battle of France and shows three different arcs that become one.
‘The Mole’ shows Allied forces between the English and French are trying to retreat to Dunkirk that has been surrounded by German forces. As they wait for reinforcements, Commander Bolton hopes to get everyone from a total over 400,000 off the island whereas Winston Churchill expects at least 30,000. When rushing to the beach after his comrades get wiped out, a young British private named Tommy waits alongside thousands for evacuation. After a brief attack by Luftwaffe dive bombers, he and another comrade Gibson try to sneak into a hospital ship but get ordered off. Sadly, that ship would get taken down from another wave of a dive bomber attack. When that ship sinks, Tommy saves a Highlander regiment named Alex and the two join Gibson in boarding a destroyer. Safety would be taken from them again when it gets shot by a torpedo, causing the three to return to the beach. As they wait for another ship, they would join other Highlanders to hide in a beached trawler until the tide rises. Just when a Dutch sailor returns to aid them in getting home, Germans shoot at the trawler for target practice unaware the men are in there. Alex would then suspect Gibson is a spy due to being silent for the majority of time being together. However, he confesses of being a French ally and dressed as an English in hopes to get off the island. When the water from the tide floods the boat, everyone leaves but Gibson who drowns due to being entangled in a chain. Tommy & Alex would be rescued by a civilian vessel but before they could take off, they witness a dive bomber get shot down by a Royal Air Force Spitfire. The action would cause an oil spill where some would avoid while some would succumb to its wrath.
‘The Sea’ follows civilian sailor Mr. Dawson, his son Peter and teenage hand George depart Weymouth and set out the former’s boat “Moonstone” to aid the evacuation personally, rather than let the Navy requisition it themselves. During their travels, they witness the dogfight between the Spitfire & the dive bombers and first save on unnamed soldier who is suffering from shell shocked trauma after surviving a U bomb attack. The said soldier would be even greatly terrified knowing Dawson is heading to Dunkirk, knowing how dangerous it was. At first, the crew lies to him and makes him believe they’ll turn around. But when he finds out they’re still maintaining the course, he tries to wrest control of the boat, causing a scuffle between everyone. When George intervenes, the shivering soldier pushes him down and cause him to suffer a concussion that would render him blind. By the time they reach Dunkirk and rescue the likes of Tommy & Alex, George would be confirmed dead succumbing to his wounds. When that happens, Peter would choose to not tell the shivering soldier what happened. Everyone on the Moonstone would witness the conclusion of the dogfight and Dawson would avoid the gunfire with the use of a boat maneuver taught by his eldest son who died in the start of the war.
‘The Air’ follows three Spitfires, Fortis Leader (Michael Caine), Farrier aka Fortis 1 & Collins aka Fortis 2 flying towards Dunkirk to provide support for the evacuation with only an hour operation based on their fuel supply. Fortis Leader would be quickly taken down in the dogfight against dive bonnets, but Collins would be rescued by Moonstone when crashing into the sea. With a shattered fuel gauge, Farrier task himself to take out the remaining dive bomber on his own, being cheered by the surface troops in the process. He would then land beyond a friendly perimeter and await capture as he burns his plane to prevent it being in the wrong hands.Epilogue: With the evacuation being deemed a success after 300,000 have been confirmed to have been rescued thanks to the aid of civilian vessels, Commander Bolton chooses to stay behind to ensure everyone else is saved. When the Moonstone returns to Weymouth, the shivering soldier would see George’s corpse being carried away before parting ways with the Dawsons. The following day, Peter would arrange a local reporter to publish a story of George’s part in the evacuation. As Tommy & Alex would board a train, they would be cheered by the people of Woking for their efforts in the war. The film would end with Tommy a newspaper containing an inspiring speech from Churchill: “Wars are not won by evacuations. But there was a victory inside this deliverance which should be noted. Our thankfulness at the escape of our army must not blind us to the fact that what has happened in France and Belgium is a colossal military disaster. We must expect another blow to be struck almost immediately. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender. And even if this island or a large part of it were subjugated and staring then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet would carry on the struggle, until in Gods good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forward to the rescue and the liberation of the old”.
THOUGHTS
Every military related film is bound to give an accurate depiction of how high the stakes in any period of time involving war. Writer/Director Christopher Nolan succeeds in making another one of its kind and then some. These settings were an adrenaline rush and with passing second of its runtime, you feel every bit of it and its intensity because war is not for the faint of heart but meant for those who carry the will to defend their beliefs. The combination of Hans Zimmer’s compelling score, sharp editing by Lee Smith and incredible cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema succeed in reflecting exactly how consuming war can be physically and mentally. But like many wars, there is always a moment of clarity. Nolan not only reminds us the dread that can come from war but also embraces how any decision can make a difference. In this case, the evacuation was one meant for the better because there were sacrifices not worth making if there is no advantage to win the war. Anyone can make a difference as well as anything because you don’t have to be a soldier to fight for your beliefs. As long as you accept every possible outcome of your involvement, there is no need to be ashamed of what’s past your control. All of this was something I was able to grasp onto thanks to an incredible array of figures played by a fantastic ensemble. It doesn’t matter to me which arc of the three was the best because all shared the theme that survival was more important than victory. The best examples come from the trio of ‘The Mole’. From the second we see Fionn Whitehead as Tommy once things get started, we understand despite being a soldier of war, he’s still a young guy scared of his life trying get home from a fight he doesn’t belong. It was easy for him with Gibson since Aneurin Barnard made him the most observant of characters desperate to be ahead of the enemy and Harry Styles was on point in making Alex act out of fear which leads to an already escalated of an unsettling atmosphere. Alex did act cold when it came to ousting Gibson because his survival instincts were getting the best of him because he used his perspective he made a strong will to make a hard choice. Gibson’s death was difficult to bare because he tried so hard to be ahead of the curve and it didn’t work at his most vulnerable. Although neither he nor Tommy chose to talk about him after what happened, a part of them did feel regret, especially since the latter tried standing up for him, but it doesn’t take away their part in fighting the war since they did what others have done in their shoes. Tommy reading Churchill’s speech made the whole journey worth it because it taught me to never be ashamed in moments that feel like defeat because it will make future victories all the more triumphant. Another character I admired was Commander Bolton because Kenneth Branagh depicted him as the most selfless due to ensuring everyone gets to go home and no one getting left behind. It’s hard to maintain that mindset in times of war, and it’s empowering to see him keep it even when surpassing expectations. If I really have to give an answer for what was my favorite arc of the three, I’ll have to say ‘The Air’ due to feeling the most unpredictable. Tom Hardy & Jack Lowden made a great pair of Farrier & Collins respectively for creating equal vigilance in the efforts to defend the brethren from above. Had Collins not gone down earlier, I believe he would’ve joined Farrier until the end. The latter was so insistent on making it to Dunkirk and take out the last dive bomber because he couldn’t bare letting them go on being so defenseless, hence making a bold sacrifice. For those who have made the selfless decisions like him and Bolton, I salute you. Cillian Murphy spoke volumes as the Shivering Soldier because he represented every soldier whose gone through the shell shock trauma and had the struggle of overcoming it (whether or not they succeeded). He was rightfully paranoid of going back to Dunkirk because the risks were visibly high. Due to his actions that felt uncontrollable to him, he accepted that he’s not the only one trying to survive and when he saw George’s corpse, he realized he went too far and had to live with it. Mark Rylance and Tom Glynn-Carney were another great pair as the Dawsons who were downright patriotic individuals who were loyal to their beliefs and naturally wanted to help others the way the eldest son did. Getting Moonstone requisitioned was their paved way to take part in the war and make a difference. It meant the world for them to save all they could because it was an opportunity they didn’t have when it came to the eldest son. Barry Keoghan’s George was arguably the story’s most tragic figure because he shared the motive on wanting to do something important. Sadly for him, it didn’t go to his liking. His death is more heartbreaking than Gibson’s due to feeling like it could’ve been avoided. Even though his prior efforts were different from what the Dawsons got to do, no one’s efforts in war should not be ignored no matter the amount, hence Peter going out of his way to honor him. In conclusion, Dunkirk is one of the elite of military films ever made for representing the strength of one’s spirit in moments of crisis. If these kind of films are up your alley, see this now.
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