Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" (July 21, 2017) - Part 2

[terry78]

Well, Dunkirk is not a universally known thing like Pearl Harbor and Normandy and what not. And frankly it's because it didn't involve us, not gonna mince words.

 

[chamber-music]

Wait wait wait, Dunkirk was a WWII thing? Why the f*** have I thought this was set during WWI this whole time?

Have I been contributing to the #FakeNews epidemic??

What Exactly Happened at Dunkirk in 1 Minute Video
[YT]/2yAbf1FKhws[/YT]

 

[Marvolo]

I checked rotten tomatoes and had to do a double take. The average score is 9/10. The average score for Top Critics is 9.2/10. That's fantastic!

 

[chamber-music]

Well, Dunkirk is not a universally known thing like Pearl Harbor and Normandy and what not. And frankly it's because it didn't involve us, not gonna mince words.

It is pretty well known in Europe but I imagine it isn't in the U.S because they probably don't teach what happened before Pearl Harbor was attacked I assume.

The Dunkirk evacuation featured in the movie Atonement.

Dunkirk probably scary as hell for the stranded allied troops on the beaches. The Nazis steadily advancing on you and your only hope is a bunch of civilians coming 26 miles across the English channel to take you home from a continental Europe falling under Nazis control.

Almost every person with a boat went to northern France/Belgium to rescue the 400,000 stranded troops. Even a guy in a canoe rowed across to rescue some troops.

If the Allied British troops at Dunkirk were captured or killed then it would of been game over. Nazis probably would of taken Britain & Ireland within two years. Britain would not of been the launch pad to retake Europe and the Nazis could of devoted more forces to the Eastern front.

Dunkirk is one of those moments in WW2 that could of changed the course of history. Darkest before the dawn time moment when the Nazis had the Allies on the ropes.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I checked rotten tomatoes and had to do a double take. The average score is 9/10. The average score for Top Critics is 9.2/10. That's fantastic!

Dunkirk also has 91 on MetaCritic. It has 21 100's out of 33 reviews so far. It has already emulated Mad Max Fury Road in that aspect with lesser number of reviews. It's at No 11 in MC's all-time list. It is madness.

 

[jmc]

I feel like it's missing something. More when I get home.

 

[FunkMiller]

Well, Dunkirk is not a universally known thing like Pearl Harbor and Normandy and what not. And frankly it's because it didn't involve us, not gonna mince words.

There are people on here other than Americans, you know

 

[OutOfBoose]

I see that short documentary is overblowing Dunkirk's significance.

 

[Filmfan93]

I feel like it's missing something. More when I get home.

Most criticisms revolve around the lack of characters that you can get invested with. Maybe it was that? Very interested to hear your thoughts!

 

[Deserana]

Characters is gonna be the clear issue. However I get its a movie and that movies are traditionally supposed to have characters you attach to but this movie was never supposed to be like that. It was a conscious decision to make these characters faceless.

I think this movie is really gonna raise the question of "do you dislike it because it wasn't what YOU wanted or because the director didn't set out his vision properly."

I haven't seen it but I'm not sure how you could implement backstory into this judging by the reviews I've read and watched.

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

Dunkirk also has 91 on MetaCritic. It has 21 100's out of 33 reviews so far. It has already emulated Mad Max Fury Road in that aspect with lesser number of reviews. It's at No 11 in MC's all-time list. It is madness.

It has 97 on Metacritic.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

It has 97 on Metacritic.

Thanks for the correction.

 

[titansupes]

Just got out of my advanced screening. Enjoyed it, but I feel like it needed more character work. For me, without that (and a bit of a break from the suspense, which for me became a bit mind numbing in the second act) it lacks a certain punch.

First and third act land really well, though. A lot of great scenes/sequences... Not sure how much I can say without getting into spoilers, plus I'm still processing.

EDIT: I'll do some random thoughts.

The cast was terrific. Tom Hardy, Kenneth Brannagh in particular. One great moment with Rylance. Harry availed himself very well (as did the seven early teen fangirls sitting in the row in front of me, who were damn near jumping out of their skins before the movie started). He might've even been my favourite of the younger/new cast.

Cinematography and music are 10/10 (though the heaviness of the IMAX cameras rob Nolan of some of the quick energy I loved in his stuff from TDKR and earlier). The opening sequence is great in instilling its sense of dread, as is the last in its sense of bittersweet hope.

Not sure what I'd rate it yet. But due to the second act growing a bit dull for me, and the lack of more traditional character stuff, I didn't have the visceral "F*** yeah" gut reaction I had all through TDKT, The Prestige, Memento etc.

 

[jmc]

So having thought about it on the drive home I've come to the conclusion that after the first viewing this is a film I like a lot, but I don't love it, and I do think it comes down to characters, or at the very least an emotional beat. Nolan isn't interested in the characters as such, he's more interested in what's happening around them. That is clearly his goal with this film and from that perspective he hits a home run. The question is can you claim it to be a fault with the film if it's a deliberate creative choice that succeeds in what it's doing? That I don't know how to answer.

Part of me wanted to be more engaged with what was happening, wanted me to grip my seat the further in the story progressed, and yet I never got that far. There were moments like that, but it never felt consistent. Everything was amazing to look at, intriguing to watch, sounded fantastic, and yet I'm left wanting more. On one hand I don't really feel the need to watch this again, and on the other I feel like I have to to see if I simply missed something. I normally wouldn't see a movie that makes me feel like that again but there's so much in this movie that's good that I want to give it another shot before giving a final verdict.

 

[jmc]

Just got out of my advanced screening. Enjoyed it, but I feel like it needed more character work. For me, without that (and a bit of a break from the suspense, which for me became a bit mind numbing in the second act) it lacks a certain punch.

First and third act land really well, though. A lot of great scenes/sequences... Not sure how much I can say without getting into spoilers, plus I'm still processing.

EDIT: I'll do some random thoughts.

The cast was terrific. Tom Hardy, Kenneth Brannagh in particular. One great moment with Rylance. Harry availed himself very well (as did the seven early teen fangirls sitting in the row in front of me, who were damn near jumping out of their skins before the movie started). He might've even been my favourite of the younger/new cast.

Cinematography and music are 10/10 (though the heaviness of the IMAX cameras rob Nolan of some of the quick energy I loved in his stuff from TDKR and earlier). The opening sequence is great in instilling its sense of dread, as is the last in its sense of bittersweet hope.

Not sure what I'd rate it yet. But due to the second act growing a bit dull for me, and the lack of more traditional character stuff, I didn't have the visceral "F*** yeah" gut reaction I had all through TDKT, The Prestige, Memento etc.

You didn't happen to see it at Hoyts Cinema in Blacktown by any chance did you?

 

[OutOfBoose]

Apparently this film is a cinematic version of panoramas by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Roubaud

The goal is to immerse viewer into an event, make him a participant.

 

[titansupes]

You didn't happen to see it at Hoyts Cinema in Blacktown by any chance did you?

Haha, nope. Event Cinemas in Adelaide. I have run into fellow Hypster at the theatres here before though. Was kind of awkward.

 

[TheSmoothKnight]

Almost to 80 reviews and it will be certified fresh on RT.

 

[terry78]

There are people on here other than Americans, you know

I know this, that was the implication. We never learned about it because our forces weren't involved. I only recently learned about it.

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

Stephanie Zacharek posted her review (it's not on RT yet). She called it a masterpiece, lol.

http://time.com/4864051/dunkirk-review/

 

[Filmfan93]

I have a question regarding the evacuation itself.

From trailers, I've noticed that the main threat that the soldiers waiting on beach face, is air bombing from German planes. However, since they are surrounded from almost every side (except facing the sea towards England), aren't they also under bombing from German tanks and soldiers from everywhere else?

I read about the event, but I am still not sure. Hitler did order his troops NOT to advance towards Dunkirk and hold off, right?

 

[Schlosser85]

Yes Hitler ordered a stall, which his Generals were frustrated with and saw as letting the British get away.

 

[StormC]

Aussies, do you guys think maybe general audience goers need to be "prepped" on the weird structure of the movie or should they just go in blind with no expectations?

 

[Agent Orange]

Haha... Jake Cole's tweet on his 1 1/2 out of 4 "Dunkirk" review is hilarious. "I'm not looking forward to being 'the backlash'." I'm gonna call BS on that one.

 

[Kreem Pi]

It's back up to 97. Gotta hunt down the man who I sold my ticket to.