Warner Bros. | Release Date: July 21, 2017
8.2
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Universal acclaim based on 3245 Ratings
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2,732
Mixed:
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Negative:
221
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7
MixedMessageJul 25, 2017
Unquestionably a very good film and worth seeing, but doesn't live up to the hype. Many people knock the lack of characterization but I had no problem with that, it is plot driven and a conscious statement about the smallness of individualsUnquestionably a very good film and worth seeing, but doesn't live up to the hype. Many people knock the lack of characterization but I had no problem with that, it is plot driven and a conscious statement about the smallness of individuals in a the largest war ever fought. Starts strong with a sense of immersion in the moment but becomes needlessly complex and distant as it goes on. An IMAX war film about 400,000 soldiers trapped by the Nazis is by definition a spectacle, but it never looks like more than a few hundred people are on screen at one time, and the climactic scene has what looks like a few dozen boats. I never thought I would say this, but this movie could have benefited from some gratuitous CGI to give it a feeling of scale. Instead the IMAX screen is filled with mostly empty beach. It feels intense for a handful of people but hardly epic. Spielberg may have had the same number of extras to work with, but he put them all on the screen at the same time and conveyed the immensity of the struggle. In my opinion Spielberg is best as an action cinematographer, he could never have made Memento. But Dunkirk shows Nolan is too cold and abstract to make an epic. Dunkirk was a small film with a lot of empty space on the screen. Patton was 70mm and balanced intense small scenes with battle scenes that used the expanded screen space to purposefully convey the epic scale of war as a human activity. Dunkirk is a smart and meaningful film, but misses the mark at being something greater due to an overly complex structure that adds nothing to the experience and poor use of screen space to depict a genuinely epic event from real life modern history. Expand
18 of 26 users found this helpful188
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7
blawren4Jan 2, 2019
Good overall movie except I just didn't care about any of the characters aside from the few guys in the boat. The rest were forgettable.
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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7
LoveeLandSep 9, 2017
Dunkirk is the war movie equivalent of the Revenant. The film's effects, acting, and action were outstanding in every way. It has you at the edge of your seat throughout the whole thing. However there are some real knocks that can be made.Dunkirk is the war movie equivalent of the Revenant. The film's effects, acting, and action were outstanding in every way. It has you at the edge of your seat throughout the whole thing. However there are some real knocks that can be made. The movie can be confusing at times, as there are three different small stories going on over the course of the same week, but for different amounts of time and different areas. These stories all overlap at a certain point, but it can be confusing as to what is going on at some points. There was also very little narrative in the movie. It was 'get off the beach or die' and the lack of dialogue made this even more obvious. Like I said, an odd but reasonable comparison would be PG-13 WW2 edition of the Revenant. It was very bleak and grueling, adding to realism, but it had less of a narrative even than the Revenant. You never really see any actual Nazis, and they are repeatedly referred to as 'the enemy' which makes them seem more distant and less relevant. It may sound like I'm harping on the movie a lot, but its just that there are many points of criticism. Where the movie excels, it is top of the line, but it struggles to develop a real narrative to make it a classic. It would be like titanic without the storyline. While I said the acting was good, there was nothing that really made you care about the characters. It felt as though these two soldiers were chosen at random to be the focal points of the story. Overall it is probably worth the see just because it is entertaining and very well done, but you may walk out a little underwhelmed. Expand
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7
CinemaphileJul 31, 2017
The non-linear storytelling which worked so well for Nolan's Momento works against Dunkirk. What does work in Dunkirk is the bombastic sound effects, but like CGI, those alone do not make a movie. Ironically, Dunkirk draws back from theThe non-linear storytelling which worked so well for Nolan's Momento works against Dunkirk. What does work in Dunkirk is the bombastic sound effects, but like CGI, those alone do not make a movie. Ironically, Dunkirk draws back from the immersive, oppressive, omnipresent sound and score that dominate Inception and Interstellar. One wonders if a linear edit would reveal the story's weaknesses. Because the editing seems like a gimmick, I give Dunkirk a 7 ... a solid 7. It's worth seeing in Imax ... not many films are shot with an eye for the big big screen, but I'd recommend a matinee. Expand
3 of 7 users found this helpful34
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7
TrevorsViewJul 21, 2017
Now I presume the modern-day art house/blockbuster wizard will at last earn his first Oscar nomination for directing his tenth feature film, Dunkirk. He deserves it, as he creates a true cinematic spectacle set around a subject made for aNow I presume the modern-day art house/blockbuster wizard will at last earn his first Oscar nomination for directing his tenth feature film, Dunkirk. He deserves it, as he creates a true cinematic spectacle set around a subject made for a true “guy’s night in.” Unlike other WWII films focused on the inner journey, Nolan utilizes the IMAX screen’s visual splendor to grasp the British soldiers’ first-person perspective whilst treading through turmoil to get back home.

For you longtime Nolanites, you should be pleased to hear that the Dark Knight director achieves what he promised us in his passion project: a well-researched claustrophobic thriller. Everything he has never been very good at in the past, such as expositional dialogue, is left out, while his true strengths, such as bending the rules, remain. He relies on action, rather than philosophical ramblings, to communicate his message. This project also demonstrates the best of his actor direction; the number of soldiers he directs unnerves you to watch as they line up at the beach and unanimously gaze upon the terror above. His finished product almost resembles real recolorized news footage.

These somehow endless events unravel in three separate narratives, each overlapping over different lengths of time. One takes place on the mole over a week, one takes place on the sea over a day, and one takes place in the air over an hour. (Think: Magnolia with a smaller cast) Each subplot feels truthful in authenticity as they unravel in real time, the clock pressing upon each one. The stories appear disconnected, then soon merge together into a graceful singular conclusion.

Each of these men, whether on the ground, on the sea, or in the air, are not meant to be understood on a personal level, particularly with the older soldiers. Nolan’s intention is in fact less for you to connect with the fictionalized war heroes, and more to see how the cost to fight affected everyone involved. Despite whatever little we learn of these men caught in the anarchy, we still believe them as traumatized souls as we watch them gaze upon death at every corner, even in the dry, empty French town behind them.

Aside from the lack of a memorable character study, you still see the soldiers support each other in the heat of their conflicts. Sadly though, a much present father-son relationship misses its open chance at adding some needed heart to give us a breather from the mayhem.

For the intended effect, Nolan’s heart-stopping experience must only be watched on the biggest screen out there, with the best quality speakers in the world. In the theater, the ear-splitting gunfire and jet engine hum rattles you from the inside all the way to beneath your seat. As for the visual elements, the impressive dogfights tumble sideways and upside down over the vast ocean. Then on the ground, the seafoam sprays onto your 3D glasses, disorienting your vision as the ship of soldiers loses buoyancy. Inside the interiors, the camera comes in uncomfortably close to the heated action, leaving no space left to squirm in your seat; it gives such a contrast against the massive exteriors, it makes you ponder each sequence’s behind-the-scenes process.

The intensity here would be wasted without the urgent music by the legendary Hans Zimmer. His score never stops ticking as the time for the bomb to go off gets nearer, which he achieves by stressing the stiff, harsh sounds of strings. You rarely realize the score’s effective prowess, as you’re too focused on the revulsion to notice. Heck, you could use Zimmer’s new Oscar-worthy piece to motivate your study sessions!

Yet like any great director, people will always find more critiques to press against Christopher Nolan’s greatest success. He deserves the already voiced criticisms about the little representation toward anyone besides British men, and he deserves further criticism about lacking a distinct “so what” to what is another WWII feature. But as a whole, Dunkirk stands as Christopher Nolan’s most thoughtful film to date; it impacts you enough to further research and discuss that dreadful day. Understanding the tragedy of violence is precisely what today’s generation needs to understand, and Nolan just put us back on the right path.
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3 of 16 users found this helpful313
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7
VirgonoShakaAug 19, 2017
Well, first and foremost I want to get something out of the way, the music in this movie is AMAZING!!!! really Hanz, I knew you had it in you. The music makes everything in this movie better. Now with that out of the way, Dunkirk is in no wayWell, first and foremost I want to get something out of the way, the music in this movie is AMAZING!!!! really Hanz, I knew you had it in you. The music makes everything in this movie better. Now with that out of the way, Dunkirk is in no way a bad movie nor is it badly filmed or badly put together, but I don't think it is anything that ranges as a "masterpiece" or "must watch" either. The air scenes are impressive and the atmosphere is well played with Nolan's typical handle of time thrown in the mix. However really there is not a lot of investment in the characters. In a war movie one of the most important thing I factor is how much do I care of the fate of these people especially when it is based on real events and in this case I don't think Dunkirk pulls it very well. So aided with fantastic music, and some well put scenes here and there Dunkirk ends up as good movie that tells an interesting story, but I don't think this one is for the books either. Final verdict: 7.3 Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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7
gingerninja11May 19, 2023
Dope movie that presses a lot of the right buttons very well. Just didn't do it for me. Well done, but not "Nolan" special. Nothing innovative. Certainly worth a watch, but I think it's laughable that this is considered a Metacritic "must-see."
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7
FromKangaAug 8, 2017
Dunkirk was a mix bag for me, on one hand it is a technical achievement and it is beautiful but on the other hand the movie fails at making me care about anything that was going on.

The movie looks and sounds incredible, if I had to judge
Dunkirk was a mix bag for me, on one hand it is a technical achievement and it is beautiful but on the other hand the movie fails at making me care about anything that was going on.

The movie looks and sounds incredible, if I had to judge this movie from a technical perspective, it would be one of the best movies I have ever seen, some people complained about the soundtrack but I found it that it fits with the movie's tone really well (you never feel safe), the action scenes are really intense and the airplane scenes are the best moments I've ever seen in a war film and I really appreciate Christopher Nolan for trying as much pratical effects as possible.

However, the story wasn't really good in my opinion but it could've been great, it shows people who are trying to survive this war and it's really intense and well made but I do have problem with it, you never get to know any of the characters so I felt no emotional investiment while watching the movie.
And since the movie relies on the intensity of the action scenes, there is no story progression, it's just intense scene after intense scene which makes the movie feel longer than it actually is.

I'm frustrated by the fact that it could've easily been one of my favorite movies if it wasn't for the weirdly structured story and the underdeveloped characters, it is a movie worth watching in theatres just from the technical aspect but I was really dissapointed in some areas, I want to love this movie but I can't.
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7
DominArsenDec 8, 2018
Un nouveau film de Christopher Nolan surnommé "Le Génie"
Avec Dunkerque on ne s'attache pas au personnage. On ne sait pas d'où il vienne, quelles sont leurs rêves et on ne nous rappelle même pas le faite qu'ils ont des familles. On ne
Un nouveau film de Christopher Nolan surnommé "Le Génie"
Avec Dunkerque on ne s'attache pas au personnage. On ne sait pas d'où il vienne, quelles sont leurs rêves et on ne nous rappelle même pas le faite qu'ils ont des familles. On ne s'intéresse qu'uniquement à la question "Est-ce qu'ils vont survivres?". Le problème c'est que s'ils ne survivent pas et bien vu que l'on n’est pas attaché, c'est un décès qui ne nous affecte pas. Pire les personnages auxquels on s'attache le plus sont des civils. Je doute que les civils soient l'objet principal du film.
Essayer de faire un film pour tout le monde n'est pas toujours mémorable parfois il vaut mieux choisir son camp entre "Film d'auteur" et "Blockbuster d'été"
Le film est morcelé en 3 équipes de 3 personnages leurs histoires sont elles-mêmes morcelées dans le temps en 2 ce qui nous fait 9 personnages divisés dans 6 espace-temps qui parfois se passe au même moment, mais qui dans le montage final ne sont pas l'un après l'autre. Je dois dire que c'est tout le problème du film on ne s'attache déjà pas à plusieurs personnage, mais si en plus leur espace-temps n'est pas chronologique ça devient compliquer d'éprouvé l'empathie. On peut dire que cette parti est le "film d'auteur"..
Le film blokbuster c'est la tension et je dois dire que ça fonctionne très bien, mais un problème subsiste un mortier explose des soldats et le soldat ne redescend jamais. Il faut sauver le Soldat Ryan reste la référence malgré le fait que cela ne soit pas le même conflit. Tout simplement, dans il faut sauver le soldat Ryan le film n'existe pas pour avoir le label Teenager #ToutPublic... Sa c'est la parti du "Blockbuster d'été" Je croyais que le choix est à tenir jusqu'au bout pour un Leader. J'imagine que Nolan à été bousculé par les grandes Maisons d'Hollywood...
Dunkerque est un bon film de guerre c'est vrai il a beaucoup de choses bien. Les plans sont grandioses orné de belle symétrie et nous font ressentir le gigantisme de la guerre présente ainsi que la peur. "Attachez-vous à votre siège" est inutile à dire, car c'est déjà ce que vous faites.
Ce film sans la musique ou le sont n'est rien, car au-delà d'un film il est un tripe musicale. Je dois avouer que Hans Zimmer est extrêmement efficace. #Timmer. Je ne donne pas plus d'information rendez-vous en salle obscure pour la réponse.
Si vous aimez la guerre et que la tripe musicale ne vous fait pas peur, Dunkerque est une bonne expérience.
Seulement en film de guerre, j'ai vu mieux
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7
GabMegaAug 10, 2017
No es la ultima venida de Jesus Cristo que todos pintan en Internet, y no creo que gane el Oscar a cosas argumentales ( pero si tecnicas debo de admitir), pero en algo tienen razón, es super inmersiva, sobretodo si estas en una sala 4D ( cosaNo es la ultima venida de Jesus Cristo que todos pintan en Internet, y no creo que gane el Oscar a cosas argumentales ( pero si tecnicas debo de admitir), pero en algo tienen razón, es super inmersiva, sobretodo si estas en una sala 4D ( cosa que no estuve, ya que en Venezuela la economía esta jodida). Nolan logra una obra tensa, no tanto como Guerra Z o Gravity, pero logra meter al espectador en el ambiente que se baso esta historia real.
Pero lo que más peca esta película es en la historia, okey, desde un principio se puede ver que es simple, y ahí no hay problema, la cuestión viene cuando la película te quiere confundir con algunas escenas que son flashbacks y otros eventos que están ocurriendo antes y durante el escape de la isla, queriendo ser complicada, pero no es necesario, ya que lo importante aquí es la inmersión, y sentir que el espectador se acojone ante las escenas de acción y supervivencia. Pero, hay algunas veces en que la película pareciera que inventara algunas escenas que no están basadas en los hechos reales, para que haya más momentos de tensión, pero quien sabe, hay que averiguar si es que todo fue real.

Si quieren ir al cine, tienen una buena opción para ver, pero eso si, tienen que prestar un tantito de atención y paciencia, ya que es un poco lenta en ciertos momentos, igualmente tienen como otra opción a Valerian y Spider-man para verla en cines.
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7
MemoryMuffJan 24, 2018
I love Nolan, he's an amazing director, the way he leads the story, he casts very well, chooses all the right guys for editing the movie, but I'd like to ask: IS THERE ANY OTHER GENRE OF WAR FILMS THAT THE THEME ISN'T WORLD WAR II? The movieI love Nolan, he's an amazing director, the way he leads the story, he casts very well, chooses all the right guys for editing the movie, but I'd like to ask: IS THERE ANY OTHER GENRE OF WAR FILMS THAT THE THEME ISN'T WORLD WAR II? The movie is a great, but I'm sick of WW II films, it's annoying. Expand
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7
rewwexAug 7, 2017
What makes a movie tick? Soul, passion & heart. This movie didn't have any of those. Audiovisually stunning, but empty inside. Maybe this movie speaks to British audiences more than to the rest of us?
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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7
redisonJul 28, 2017
There is great beauty in the film and Nolan successfully avoids the sloppy romanticizing of war usually present in war films. But something was missing. While the film's mission seemed to focus on the individual dramas being played out in aThere is great beauty in the film and Nolan successfully avoids the sloppy romanticizing of war usually present in war films. But something was missing. While the film's mission seemed to focus on the individual dramas being played out in a commendable effort to personalize the horror of war, the evacuation itself was badly represented. One would think from viewing the film that there were a few arial dog fights and few ships sunk but otherwise an orderly evacuation. It was not. There were thousands of sorties and 16 squadrons of the Royal Air-force engaged in Operation Dynamo. The French were fiercely fighting a regard action to hold off the advancing German divisions. The sheer desperation and scale of the calamity never reaches the audience. The result a good movie with the potential to be great movie is lost. Expand
10 of 15 users found this helpful105
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7
diarmotJul 30, 2017
Very promising at the beginning but rapid sequence shifts take away any story flow and becomes tiresome. The scope of the actual Dunkirk evacuation is lost. Nevertheless, it was entertaining but could have been more.Do not see it in IMAX, theVery promising at the beginning but rapid sequence shifts take away any story flow and becomes tiresome. The scope of the actual Dunkirk evacuation is lost. Nevertheless, it was entertaining but could have been more.Do not see it in IMAX, the sound level is excessive. Expand
9 of 14 users found this helpful95
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7
CantabridgianAug 16, 2017
While basically a beautifully made movie, sometimes the words were hard to decipher; it was often confusing to tell what was happening to whom. Not particularly enjoyable, despite some very good individual performances.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
Furkat228Sep 3, 2017
Для меня этот фильм не стал нечто великим. Было много фильмов про войну это точно не лучший среди них. Не понимаю откуда столько десяток фильм на 7 из 10. Фильм не шедевр просто хороший фильм. Лично для меня фильм не показал ничегоДля меня этот фильм не стал нечто великим. Было много фильмов про войну это точно не лучший среди них. Не понимаю откуда столько десяток фильм на 7 из 10. Фильм не шедевр просто хороший фильм. Лично для меня фильм не показал ничего удивительного. Ужасы войны можно было и показать и получше. Expand
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7
DaddypancakesSep 10, 2017
Pros: beautiful setting, intense and good action, good acting, emotional, rich dialouge, entertaining(most of the time)

Cons: some scenes go on to long, repetitive soundtrack, meh characters, disconnected plot, and boring at times Overall
Pros: beautiful setting, intense and good action, good acting, emotional, rich dialouge, entertaining(most of the time)

Cons: some scenes go on to long, repetitive soundtrack, meh characters, disconnected plot, and boring at times

Overall not very memorable and not the most entertaining time but overall pretty decent and for what it is it's good 7/10
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7
FedorkoNov 13, 2017
Dunkirk's building of tension is skillful, and Nolan's playing of time from 3 different perspectives is clever. Certainly one of the best movies of the summer, but I expected a finale with more gravitas. It was a weak ending that made meDunkirk's building of tension is skillful, and Nolan's playing of time from 3 different perspectives is clever. Certainly one of the best movies of the summer, but I expected a finale with more gravitas. It was a weak ending that made me question what the movie was even about, and made me realize that Nolan has never made a movie without a twist ending. However, I cared about his characters and their plights. A solid film. Expand
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7
bobbymbJan 25, 2018
Christopher Nolan garancia az igényes és szórakoztató filmekre. A film nagyon jól össze van rakva, jók a vágások és látványos a film. Aki pörgős háborús filmre számít, annak unalmas lesz, de aki szereti a lassabb, de élvezhető jelenetekkelChristopher Nolan garancia az igényes és szórakoztató filmekre. A film nagyon jól össze van rakva, jók a vágások és látványos a film. Aki pörgős háborús filmre számít, annak unalmas lesz, de aki szereti a lassabb, de élvezhető jelenetekkel tarkított filmeket, azoknak tetszeni fog. 10/7. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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7
Jaredc324May 14, 2019
As a war film, it's impeccable. As a Chris Nolan film, you do feel like he can give more, or at least do better. In his latest work of innovation comes a war evacuation film where he captures the situation from 3 different places of conflict,As a war film, it's impeccable. As a Chris Nolan film, you do feel like he can give more, or at least do better. In his latest work of innovation comes a war evacuation film where he captures the situation from 3 different places of conflict, 1) the land 2) the air... 3) and the sea. And he interweaves them beautifully to bring together his vision of what a true desperate and intense war situation can be. And Chris Nolan brings his full throttle big-scale IMAX vision, front and center like never before. Along with another absolutely invigorating and unnerving score that'll raise anyone's nerves into flight or fight. But the movie does feel like it's rushing itself, non-stop and never allowing itself to breath, as its interweaving of storyline perspectives become somewhat jumbled because of it. The movie seems to pass by so intensely, as if grasping your seat for a shaky 90 minutes, until you finally hear that sentimental closing Zimmer score begin to hover. And you squint ("ok it's over") as if impressed by the feat Nolan has created, but also somewhat let down by the war epic he chose to orchestrate that was clearly in the palm of his hands. Given it's the "type of film" Nolan wanted to make, the ticking-time bomb vision here works, but the movie could've been much better if he had taken some moments of rest for those truly epic moments to deliver. A well-conceived war film, but it's not Nolan's most returnable visit. Expand
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7
DaddyO3Feb 14, 2018
I was told this movie was hard to follow and I should brush up on the history of Dunkirk. I did not get a chance to review the history and just jumped into the movie. It had multiple stories going on and I didn't think it was hard toI was told this movie was hard to follow and I should brush up on the history of Dunkirk. I did not get a chance to review the history and just jumped into the movie. It had multiple stories going on and I didn't think it was hard to follow. My 16 year old son and I both enjoyed it. It's no Lord of the Rings, but a solid 7/10. Expand
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7
DrchoreOct 10, 2018
Dunkirk is a good movie which produced by the top notches.
But it uses the cheapest trick to raise heartbeat, increase the feeling of suspension and tension in its audience; it is nothing but using a repetitive pulsive sound which is a lot
Dunkirk is a good movie which produced by the top notches.
But it uses the cheapest trick to raise heartbeat, increase the feeling of suspension and tension in its audience; it is nothing but using a repetitive pulsive sound which is a lot like heartbeats. It runs through the whole movie long without any stop except when it turns to a clock ticking sound on some occasions or stops for some seconds in the train cabin to make you feel it's safe now.
After the movie, you might feel exhausted or hyped and I think that's why.
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8 of 9 users found this helpful81
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7
LivingTribunalApr 24, 2018
I know that this is a brilliant film, but I cannot agree that it deserves 94 rating when The Dark Knight got 82 and The Shawshank Redemption got 80. I don't think this is a better war movie than Saving Private Ryan. When you watch the film,I know that this is a brilliant film, but I cannot agree that it deserves 94 rating when The Dark Knight got 82 and The Shawshank Redemption got 80. I don't think this is a better war movie than Saving Private Ryan. When you watch the film, you'll feel like you are actually there in the middle of Dunkirk especially when you watched in IMAX. Hans Zimmer's composition was one of the best, and it changes the mood a lot. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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7
BeanmanJamesMay 31, 2018
I dont really have much to say about this one, apart from that it's good and I like it.
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7
Vitor007Sep 23, 2018
"Dunkirk" shows that there is no protagonist in a war. Since its beginning it shows that everyone has its importance in a conflict, from a normal soldier, to a general on base. A weak point would be how complicated and confusing it becomes in"Dunkirk" shows that there is no protagonist in a war. Since its beginning it shows that everyone has its importance in a conflict, from a normal soldier, to a general on base. A weak point would be how complicated and confusing it becomes in a few moments, in general for the public, but manages to balance, not being too gloomy or even too comical. 7.3/10 Expand
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7
fmathezJan 30, 2021
Le film est angoissant ce qui vous immerge parfaitement dans ces tragiques événements. La
Photographie est juste incroyable.
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7
SylamanNov 9, 2019
I think Christopher Nolan is a genius of modern cinematography and this movie is great, but worse than his other works.
Maybe because it's really difficult movie to watch. The sound effects are startling and it increases the difficulty.
I think Christopher Nolan is a genius of modern cinematography and this movie is great, but worse than his other works.
Maybe because it's really difficult movie to watch. The sound effects are startling and it increases the difficulty.
Nevertheless it's must-to-see film.
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7
MrPajamasNov 2, 2020
After the amazing Nolan films comes a film with a military theme called Dunkirk. The film is deliciously shot and truly a feast for the eyes, unfortunately that's where it kind of ends for me. The story didn't really grab me. To top it allAfter the amazing Nolan films comes a film with a military theme called Dunkirk. The film is deliciously shot and truly a feast for the eyes, unfortunately that's where it kind of ends for me. The story didn't really grab me. To top it all off, the film takes place in the same location. If it wasn't for the masterful shots, I'd probably be disappointed as well. Fortunately, the whole thing is offset by the sort of Nolan-esque quality of the camera angles and overall this film is a joy to watch. For me, a good film that I recommend especially to fans of military themes. Expand
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7
yungmuvMar 29, 2021
It's a good drama, but a movie that overwhelms the audience. It could be worked more fluently, I don't know. One of Nolan's most distinctive movies.
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7
yobomojoAug 3, 2021
In general a good story but the beaches are so empty in real life there were soldiers and burning equipment everywhere but thankfully no cgi and can sympathise with characters
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7
JJ2FAS4UDec 30, 2021
----------------------------------7.3/10-----------------------------------
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6
BHBarryJul 25, 2017
“Dunkirk” is a film written and directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Kenneth Branaugh and Tom Hardy and a cast of thousands, or hundreds, depending on how much you take into account the Computer Generated Imagery's special effects. As most“Dunkirk” is a film written and directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Kenneth Branaugh and Tom Hardy and a cast of thousands, or hundreds, depending on how much you take into account the Computer Generated Imagery's special effects. As most WWII buffs know, and certainly all Britishers, “Dunkirk” is the story of how scores of private British small boat owners traveled across the English Channel to rescue many of the British and French soldiers who were left stranded on this infamous French beach. This is indeed one of the most inspiring stories to come out of the war and yet, to my disappointment, the film manifests no heart or soul. Although there are plenty of dogfights in the air and strafings on the ground, the film dedicates most of its footage to one particular boat owner and three Spitfire pilots with confusing battle scenes filling the rest of the screen. Instead of the epic and awesome story that it attempts to convey, it is grossly lacking in depth and although Mr. Nolan receives a credit as the writer, there are probably more words written in this review than spoken in the entire film. Perhaps, by anticipating that the film would live up to the great story it tries to tell, my unrealized expectations created the letdown I felt after I left the theater. I give this film a 6 and suggest that a better writer and director could have gotten to the truly great story that Mr. Nolan unfortunately left stranded somewhere on the French shore. Expand
6 of 14 users found this helpful68
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6
judahjsnJul 25, 2017
Probably my second least favorite Nolan film. It felt like an attempt to bait critics into taking him more seriously. I'm glad that it's working – because he deserves to be taken more seriously – but this is less of a movie than it isProbably my second least favorite Nolan film. It felt like an attempt to bait critics into taking him more seriously. I'm glad that it's working – because he deserves to be taken more seriously – but this is less of a movie than it is cinematic bludgeon. Sound mix has been an increasing problem for the experience of seeing a Nolan film in theaters. Whereas with, say, Inception, I probably lost 15% of the dialogue, with Dunkirk I was only able to UNDERSTAND about 10% of it since Nolan decided to have the SFX and wall-to-wall score cranked to 10 the entire film, with whatever dialogue could poke through the noise smashed in there for good measure. Not that it mattered much because this was not a story about people as much as it was one long, Zimmer-esque minor chord trumpet blast of fear. It's like he said "People love Saving Private Ryan... what if I took the beach scene from that and stretched it for 2 hours, with none of the respite, or breaks for conversation and head clearing." Dunkirk was just a fatiguing experience. It's not even much of an action film since the people portrayed in the film are powerless to fight back. The aerial combat is fantastic and the real heart of the movie. Visual style is on 10 here as well. There are no sour notes from the actors, which was refreshing. Again, I would have really loved to have been able to understand what they were saying. Expand
5 of 16 users found this helpful511
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6
GreatMartinJul 21, 2017
“Wings” won the first Best Picture Oscar in 1929 and since then 16 other war movies have been honored with that award. I have never been a fan of the genre, in fact missed seeing “Braveheart” and the 3 war themed movies that Clint Eastward“Wings” won the first Best Picture Oscar in 1929 and since then 16 other war movies have been honored with that award. I have never been a fan of the genre, in fact missed seeing “Braveheart” and the 3 war themed movies that Clint Eastward made plus skipping the Oscar winning “The Hurt Locker” so I approached “Dunkirk’ skeptically hearing excellent word of month.
Christopher Nolan is a better director than screenplay writer. There are a lot of intense war scenes including some that will have you on the edge of your seat but emotionally you don’t become involved with the few characters he does concentrate on. In most cases very few have names, no or very little background. As an example in one scene a young man you get to know briefly dies and you sort of shrug your soldiers.
The cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema offers many haunting, striking images while the music by Hans Zimmer sometimes adds to the horror of war while at other times distracts from the sounds of war that have a rhythm of its own.
Nolan intertwines 3 story lines at first dividing them calling the first part “The Mole” representing the war on land as we follow Fion Whitehead and takes place over a week, part two is a day at sea as we join civilian Mark Rylance, his teenage son Tom Glynn-Carney and the latter’s friend Barry Keoghan along with a soldier they rescue from the sea Cillian Murphy while the third is an hour in the air seen through the eyes of pilot Tom Hardy. The director/screenwriter goes back and forth between the different parts and times and though it may add to the film it really isn’t necessary to give the time most thought.
Many people under 50 may not know the story of what happened at Dunkirk and they might not quite follow what it is all about but no matter what age you have seen the horrors of war before.
In 106 minutes “Dunkirk” moves quickly and while it doesn’t get boring, neither does it get you involved to feel what victory or defeat meant in the case of this particular epic part of World War 2.
I will probably be proven wrong but I don’t believe it is Oscar worthy!
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7 of 22 users found this helpful715
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6
ilumenJul 25, 2017
It was ok. All the most interesting and powerful scenes of the movie were in the Trailer, along with the great soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.

It's very slow paced, and the characters are pretty bland. As an audience, there's no emotional
It was ok. All the most interesting and powerful scenes of the movie were in the Trailer, along with the great soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.

It's very slow paced, and the characters are pretty bland. As an audience, there's no emotional investment in any of the events that unfold or the development of the characters.

I don't mind slow paced, but the characters need to be interesting, or the story payoff has to be worth it.

It was nowhere near as good as I was expecting, and is probably the weakest Nolan movie I've seen so far.
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5 of 14 users found this helpful59
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6
wesker2012Mar 20, 2018
Another over-rated movie. Not enough characterization to be engaging. Didn't feel connected enough to the characters to feel their plight. Another case of beautiful cinematography and visuals, but hugely lacking in characters, emotion, andAnother over-rated movie. Not enough characterization to be engaging. Didn't feel connected enough to the characters to feel their plight. Another case of beautiful cinematography and visuals, but hugely lacking in characters, emotion, and drama. Felt more like a Hollywood depiction of something you'd see on the History Channel. Expand
3 of 7 users found this helpful34
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6
RelaxedmikeAug 1, 2017
Critics gave this movie a 10. I don't see how. It was quite slow in parts as I almost fell to sleep. I'm giving it a 6. Ok 7 at best and thats stretching it!
8 of 18 users found this helpful810
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6
Beowulf4862Aug 1, 2017
Well, once again my friends and I have been duped into seeing a film based on its very positive reviews only to discover that the emperor has no clothes. Too loud, too fractured, too cold. Not a rewarding experience. Oh, and forget about theWell, once again my friends and I have been duped into seeing a film based on its very positive reviews only to discover that the emperor has no clothes. Too loud, too fractured, too cold. Not a rewarding experience. Oh, and forget about the heroics of the French, holding off the Germans for days. Expand
5 of 12 users found this helpful57
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6
diomedesbcApr 21, 2018
I was surprised, the movie had such great reviews, but was pretty disappointing for me. Maybe I'm too critical because I know more than the average about the history. Still the story was kind of a let down.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
BabinskiDec 9, 2017
Finally saw it on blue-ray today after many months of anticipation and I was somewhat disappointed. I'm not a fan of non-linear timelines, and I think it was poorly executed here as the movie editing constantly takes you out of the moment andFinally saw it on blue-ray today after many months of anticipation and I was somewhat disappointed. I'm not a fan of non-linear timelines, and I think it was poorly executed here as the movie editing constantly takes you out of the moment and keeps jumping around. By the middle of the movie I wasn't invested in any of the characters and wasn't immersed in the plot. The conclusion was also underwhelming, as it didn't have the emotional impact Nolan tried to achieve and at sometimes actually felt kinda cringy. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
TheWaffleAug 5, 2017
A decent, middle-of-the-road war movie. The evacuation at Dunkirk was one of the most harrowing, nail-biting moment of World War 2, and this film somehow manages to drain all the narrative out of it. The action is great, and there's plenty ofA decent, middle-of-the-road war movie. The evacuation at Dunkirk was one of the most harrowing, nail-biting moment of World War 2, and this film somehow manages to drain all the narrative out of it. The action is great, and there's plenty of tension. But the film is pretty scattershot, jumping around in time and locations with no real narrative arc driving it. It felt like watching three separate movies about the same event, all directed by the History Channel. Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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6
EpigenAug 4, 2017
I don't know what to say. Awe-inspiring cinematography and sound effects. That's basically it. No real plot. I get it, it's about survival and coming together. But that's not enough to engage a viewer. I don't think it's a bad movie, but I'mI don't know what to say. Awe-inspiring cinematography and sound effects. That's basically it. No real plot. I get it, it's about survival and coming together. But that's not enough to engage a viewer. I don't think it's a bad movie, but I'm not sure how this movie is so celebrated. It has amazing, amazing cinematography. But a movie is not only made of cinematography. Highly overrated. Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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6
Meth-dudeJul 21, 2017
It was an actually pretty good movie. The acting was very good, the visuals were fantastic, the movie could get really intense, and it was very realistic. While it could've been better if it was more focused, it's still a fairly good war movie.
4 of 15 users found this helpful411
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6
ohnomrbillAug 9, 2017
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i liked some of this film and did not like some of it. some of the scenes were fantastic to see then a few scenes made no sense. i hated the scene where they were in the hull of a boat waiting for the tide to come in while it was getting shot with holes to sink it. that made no sense to me. and the film was brittish and i am not so some of the language was hard to understand. at home i would have stopped it and rewound and played a few times to try and understand what they are saying. and i did not like the close ups of the guy with no lips, that was also hard to watch. i liked the many stories it was showing yet at the end, why did that plane take so long to land and were those people around him after he burnt the plane enemies? i was so glad when the film ended and i could leave the theater! Expand
2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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6
Termin8terAug 23, 2017
Let me just preface everything your'e are about to read by saying that I am a big fan of Christopher Nolan. His movie are always excellent. Batman Begins, Dark Knight, The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar are just some of the masterpiecesLet me just preface everything your'e are about to read by saying that I am a big fan of Christopher Nolan. His movie are always excellent. Batman Begins, Dark Knight, The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar are just some of the masterpieces he's crafted over the years. And I was pretty hyped for his next film. Not to mention the legendary Hans Zimmer doing the soundtrack. But I was very disappointed with Dunkirk. The opening was excellent though, but after that first 15-20 minutes I got mind-numbingly bored. The dialogue and drama was boring, the directing was pretty boring, and worst of all, the action scenes were boring. I can hardly believe this was directed by Nolan, it feels like he was just being lazy during writing and filming. And Hans Zimmer's soundtrack couldn't rescue this falling creation either. His tracks in Man of Steel, Inception, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight are all exemplary. But once again, I felt like Zimmer just completely dropped the ball, aside from one good track. I did not like Dunkirk. Feel free to disagree, but this was my honest opinion. I watched The Prestige about a month after this, and that film was light years ahead of this average film making. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
MadMaxFuryRoadJul 21, 2017
Visually, Dunkirk is a masterpiece. Really, Dunkirk is a work of art. It's beautifully directed, insanely loud, and visually stunning. The first five minutes of the opening was one of the best this year. There were a ton of memorable scenes,Visually, Dunkirk is a masterpiece. Really, Dunkirk is a work of art. It's beautifully directed, insanely loud, and visually stunning. The first five minutes of the opening was one of the best this year. There were a ton of memorable scenes, including a beach bombing sequence. However, storywise, the film contains flaws. The plot was pretty thinly written and at times, I felt as if I was just watching battle sequence without much substance (in other words, "a good plot"). Nevertheless, Dunkirk is one of those rare movies that is beautiful to look at and an overall good film to watch, even if the narrative isn't so intriguing. Expand
7 of 20 users found this helpful713
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6
Douglas56Jul 22, 2017
As a war reenactment film, Dunkirk is a cut above the average but, despite some rather obvious attempts to 'dramify' the storyline, Nolan ultimately fails to transcend the limitations imposed by a reenactment. And for all its grittyAs a war reenactment film, Dunkirk is a cut above the average but, despite some rather obvious attempts to 'dramify' the storyline, Nolan ultimately fails to transcend the limitations imposed by a reenactment. And for all its gritty authenticity, the film is weirdly unrealistic in its portrayal of the battlefield, especially in the almost total absence of blood and gore. While it is hard for the film-goer not to be moved by the individual acts of heroism that marked the Dunkirk operation, and impressed by Nolan's visual innovations, this viewer was left feeling manipulated, unconnected with the characters and underwhelmed by the dramatic content. Expand
6 of 15 users found this helpful69
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6
Xan_RyilJul 31, 2017
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Christopher Nolan’s movies over the year have become a huge craze and have a sincere fan following. With Dunkirk Mr. Nolan has taken a much different work in his resume. I would start with one of the mostly compelling part of his movies.
Background Score
Only work I admire of Hans Zimmer is with Christopher Nolan, Whether it’s TDK or Inception or the best to date Interstellar, Hans has always proven to be diverse and mind bending. But with Dunkirk he has gone way too far. Even from the start score is way too heavy for nerves, movie itself is very short but that intensity and pressure is unnecessary from the scenes which should have been all about sound editing and mixing instead of relying on same technique as Chasing scene from TDK and Docking scene from Interstellar. Hans’ work is good but is not needed at most of the time as it makes it all more artificial rather real.
Memento Mori
We might have missed Chris’ brother Jonathan Nolan, who was absent from writing credits (may be too busy with Westworld) 3rd time since Chris’ breakout film Memento back in 2000. Jonathan was not involved in Insomnia 2003, fan favorite Inception 2010 and now Dunkirk. However he was present in spirit of Memento, a movie which was adapted from his then unpublished short story Memento Mori. Memento was built on a complex web of time lapse and chronology so is Dunkirk. Three different stories of different time period all in 106 minutes and running parallel. To avoid confusion it was displayed at the start how will it be. Although it is beautiful idea, however bringing together three different time periods, by pulling one way too long and shrinking one way too much made it feel uneven and hard to relate to. Movie showed Mole for 7 days and yet not a single night. Mainly because it wanted to focus on its connection to the rest of the two stories.
Chaos without Drama
One thing Christopher Nolan is notorious to create since TDK is the chaos. That’s something movie shines on. Whether it’s the Mole or Air, there is huge fear over the fate of vessel, plane and the lives. Among characters the confusion and fear has played the best, although the lead felt weaker without any outcome and reaction. Drama throughout was cut off, an element which was criticized to cover up the scientific gaps in Interstellar’s plot. At some level it worked as it maintained the tone of the movie but at other side movie was losing its soul over that. Tag line gave it all
Usually it’s the trailer, but here it was the tag line “When 400,000 men couldn't get home, home came for them.” For the people who had no idea of events at Dunkirk, who were only out to see another of Christopher Nolan movie, there was nothing left but Kenneth Branagh’s overly expressed emotions as movie moves into the final segment. Beside the plotline, the fabrication of one day at sailing into one week at mole had also taken most of the suspense away when audience know it from the start that home is on its way. Home being many ships only focused on one. With the movie which propelled ensemble cast, focusing on one ship was narrow for the story. Ship itself was sailed by “Mark Rylance” who was miscast for the role as he could not bring what was required to appear as a man willingly walking into the war without any aid. Good thing is…
Those are too many negative words but there are good things about Dunkirk, which could be the Direction. Even with all the wrong choice Nolan made, still movie keeps audience captive at point. Another quality is by default its length which does not make the viewer suffer through completed of second and sometime third hour which most of the war movies do. Cinematography is very good and so is Sound editing and mixing but unfortunately excessive use of background score has taken over those departments. Over all Dunkirk is a nice job but it does not fill up the hopes one walks into theatre with.
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4 of 9 users found this helpful45
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6
yosemiteJul 27, 2017
So many qualified critics gave this film a high score that my six (6) is in the minority. It was o.k. but could have been a lot better. The story is worthwhile and the casting seems decent. The photography is at times very good and at otherSo many qualified critics gave this film a high score that my six (6) is in the minority. It was o.k. but could have been a lot better. The story is worthwhile and the casting seems decent. The photography is at times very good and at other times, very confusing. Didn't need all the almost drowning scenes. The style wherein one character's story overlaps another or is shown concurrently did not work for me. Too confusing. The story was dramatic but the movie wasn't. Not impressed with this director Expand
8 of 18 users found this helpful810
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6
moviesoulJul 22, 2017
This move is a disappointment. it's a decent movie, and I applaud Christopher Nolan for making a film about such an important historic event, but the complete lack of character development and context prevent this from being a great film. TheThis move is a disappointment. it's a decent movie, and I applaud Christopher Nolan for making a film about such an important historic event, but the complete lack of character development and context prevent this from being a great film. The movie is loud, violent, and intense - an assault on the senses. Nolan wants you to feel what war is like - and he succeeds, but it's tough to take. The characters feel like afterthoughts, and the lack of context makes it hard to follow. How many men are on the beach? How many boats are coming for them? It's never really clear, until the very end when Nolan tries to tie everything together - too little too late. It's great that a movie about Dunkirk was even made, given that Hollywood only seems to want to make sequels and comic book superhero movies - I just wish that Nolan had done a better job of telling the story. He focuses on three very narrow specific plotlines at the complete expense of giving a broader view of what was at stake and how many lives were affected. Expand
2 of 11 users found this helpful29
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6
rbbJul 28, 2017
Seems like the professional reviewers are too young or don't know history. The film shows only chaos during most days and real rescue only at the very end. In fact, 8,000 to 45,000 were picked-up each of the nine days of the operation. AndSeems like the professional reviewers are too young or don't know history. The film shows only chaos during most days and real rescue only at the very end. In fact, 8,000 to 45,000 were picked-up each of the nine days of the operation. And the film drags out each mini-story to interminable lengths. Operation Dymnamo was a frightening but unexpected success. Many were lost but most were saved. Expand
9 of 20 users found this helpful911
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6
destinyfan1Apr 15, 2018
One of the most overrated movies ever,it was extremely generic through the entire movie,moving from boat to boat ,shooting plane to plane ,it delivered nothing original,it did make you feel how hard it was to survive dunkirk , but the movieOne of the most overrated movies ever,it was extremely generic through the entire movie,moving from boat to boat ,shooting plane to plane ,it delivered nothing original,it did make you feel how hard it was to survive dunkirk , but the movie forgot to be enjoyable and was pretty boring at most times,but it did have great actors,and good visuals,good overview in the plane fights.
Recommended for people who are used to war movies,for others it will be boring
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1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
FelipePinillaAug 13, 2017
All the movie I was waiting for something to happen, I was a little desperate about it so I couldn't really enjoy the the good scenes.
A lady was sleeping just next to me. I think that if somebody fall asleep during the movie it can't be a good one
3 of 7 users found this helpful34
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6
FilmaticJul 21, 2017
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I can't honestly say i see what everyone here is raving about. It's a masterfully shot film, with a story, and progression about as interesting as watching paint dry. the entire movie was a repetitive arc of events. The acting is almost null as there hardly any lines of dialogue. The story telling.... there was honestly no story, it was rather a collage of sequences without beginning or end. A sort of mishmash of unfortunate events that the characters trudge through at brisk pace. No actor stood out, no life stories told, nothing and nobody to care about. The horrors of war weren't even demonstrably shown as it was in PG13 meaning nothing of too much intensity was allowed. I think it rather disappointing that everyone (critics and users alike) reviewing this is putting this film in the same league as higher acclaimed war movies. Somehow nolan even managed to make the dog fights seem rather unimpressive and tepid. I can't say that i felt throughoughly immersed, entertained, or in love with any of the characters enough to give this movie anything close to a solid rating. i rather think it unfortunate that Nolan failed to create some kind of story arc with natural movie mechanics and rather decided to go with this bland hobglob mish-mash of repetitive tepid sequences that one somehow can manage to call a film. One can only dream.
Edit: upon second viewing in imax rather than regular, I can see why people were praising the cinematography and sound so much more than i thought was necessary. both image quality, shots, and sound were top notch. But the sound still managed to deafen and hurt my ears during certain scenes, and take away from the visual side quite a bit. Nonetheless Every scene has a powerful sense of immersion, sincerity in reasoning. This movie is more 'in the action' rather than telling a story, but in that style it quite succeeded. I recommend people who saw it in a regular theater to go see it in 70mm or imax definitely a different experience altogether. I boost my original somewhat reactionary score from 3/10 to 6/10.... I think i overreacted merely because of the pacing, and how little i cared about the cinematography on the regular theater screen.
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13 of 33 users found this helpful1320
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6
BeekayJul 22, 2017
A new kind of blockbuster. A visceral overwhelming experience that operates more like a carnival ride than a film, a spectacle worthy of admiration which goes against everything you would learn at film school, a complete assault on the sensesA new kind of blockbuster. A visceral overwhelming experience that operates more like a carnival ride than a film, a spectacle worthy of admiration which goes against everything you would learn at film school, a complete assault on the senses that is as brilliant as it is dull. See it in IMAX. Expand
5 of 20 users found this helpful515
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6
senorcampbellJul 30, 2017
Didn't feel that there was any emotional weight and scale to this major WW2 event. For example when the soldier boy died the father didn't show any emotion and I never care at all about the boy. The characters or soldiers, since I don'tDidn't feel that there was any emotional weight and scale to this major WW2 event. For example when the soldier boy died the father didn't show any emotion and I never care at all about the boy. The characters or soldiers, since I don't remember anything about them, were never given enough time throughout the movie to make us care about them. I also think that there was never time throughout the movie to let us breath for a minute with all the tension and action that's happening because with all of whats going on the beach there was never a time where we never got a scene to where there was character development. However there was some good things about the movie. The movie is gorgeous to look at. The action is good and Nolan does do a good job of making you feel that your right on the beach but in my opinion its not enough to make it a great movie. If I don't care about the characters then why should I feel anything when they are finally home. Apparently according to rotten tomatoes and metacritic I was suppose to really like this movie, but for a story this big of a scale there must be some emotional weight to it in order to make it huge and epic. Overall, Dunkirk was kind of a disappointment and coming from Christopher Nolan I'm a little shock. 6/10 Expand
12 of 24 users found this helpful1212
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6
kenhowardAug 18, 2017
In iMax this movie was so big and so loud and so intense that it was hard to tell if it is a brilliant movie or only brilliant movie-making. Brilliant movie making for sure, but the fractured time, the three stories and the intenseIn iMax this movie was so big and so loud and so intense that it was hard to tell if it is a brilliant movie or only brilliant movie-making. Brilliant movie making for sure, but the fractured time, the three stories and the intense in-your-face of it makes it feel more like a rollercoaster ride than a complete narrative. There is a certain hopefulness of it, but no real end as far as I was concerned. Unbelievably awesome tour-de-force movie making, especially with those huge iMax cameras - I wish I had come out with a better sense of things rather than a sense that I'd been thrown into the middle of a horrifying engulfing war experience. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
wendyisabigailSep 29, 2017
Toast and jam anybody? All jokes aside, this was an interesting twist on typical war movies. The pacing was frustrating at times, but I guess the intention was to mirror the actuality of hopelessness of wars.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
MacsMusicDec 29, 2017
I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't love Dunkirk. It feels very slow and long, with long intervals with no dialogue. When people did speak, it was sometimes hard to understand what they were saying. The movie has long, anti-climatic dogI'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't love Dunkirk. It feels very slow and long, with long intervals with no dialogue. When people did speak, it was sometimes hard to understand what they were saying. The movie has long, anti-climatic dog fights that feel really boring. It has several long intervals where nothing happens. The music is really good, but often is more intense than the scene the music is playing in. All in all, not as good as people make it sound. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
luke100Jan 9, 2018
Visually masterful and with complex storytelling, this movie ended up being somewhat boring due to my complete lack of attachment and emotional response to almost any character or scene. It may be perfectly crafted, but it's also not thatVisually masterful and with complex storytelling, this movie ended up being somewhat boring due to my complete lack of attachment and emotional response to almost any character or scene. It may be perfectly crafted, but it's also not that interesting outside of that. Expand
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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6
LoletinAlexisJun 13, 2019
Dunkirk is a movie with a perfect photography.

However, this film has a big problem: it does not take off. Dunkirk shows some characters that end up importing almost nothing or nothing directly; you feel a very good template of actors
Dunkirk is a movie with a perfect photography.

However, this film has a big problem: it does not take off.
Dunkirk shows some characters that end up importing almost nothing or nothing directly; you feel a very good template of actors totally wasted because of the null narrative of this film.
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1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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6
TB1284fbFeb 4, 2018
Although the picture of the movie was phenomenal, the movie wasn't phenomenal. I thought it was good but didn't live up to the hype that everyone was saying. I didn't think the characters were really developed like they should have. They wereAlthough the picture of the movie was phenomenal, the movie wasn't phenomenal. I thought it was good but didn't live up to the hype that everyone was saying. I didn't think the characters were really developed like they should have. They were really just jumping from scene to scene on different events going on and didn't seem like the movie was really going anywhere. The acting was pretty good for the most part but the dialogue was the issue. Certain times in the movie there would be scenes where it had you on the edge of your seat so it was exciting in some parts. Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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6
zNeverSleepingSep 17, 2020
Tecnicamente impecável, mas o que é além disso?

Essa obra me causou uma pequena confusão mental. Por um lado, eu estava impressionado. A fotografia do filme é um tão impactante quanto um diamante refletido. A técnica de alternar as
Tecnicamente impecável, mas o que é além disso?

Essa obra me causou uma pequena confusão mental. Por um lado, eu estava impressionado. A fotografia do filme é um tão impactante quanto um diamante refletido. A técnica de alternar as proporções funciona muito bem aqui, mesmo que seja mais aparente na Smart TV. A trilha sonora se encontra muito presente, o que pra mim é um ponto positivo. O cenário é absolutamente lindo, seja em alto mar, na terra ou no ar. O elenco tá bem definido, mesmo que o mesmo não tenha um peso muito grande aqui. Enfim, assistir essa obra em 4k HDR é uma experiencia unica.

O roteiro do filme está em outro nível. A compreensão de Nolan quanto a técnica narrativa vai além do esperado, e aqui, mais uma vez, ele prova isso e brinca com a linha do tempo para nos entregar uma experiencia mais impactante. O clímax, onde as três storylines se encontram é muito bem feita e conduzida. Porém, nem tudo são flores.

Apesar da minha agradável concepção aos aspectos técnicos, o filme não parece ter uma alma. Meu envolvimento emocional foi zero. O desenvolvimento dos personagens acontece, mas simplesmente não é o suficiente para criar uma ligação entre os mesmos e o publico. A trilha sonora passa a sensação de que mil e uma coisas estão acontecendo, ou que há algo grandioso para acontecer, o problema é que essa tensão soa forçada, pois nada a altura da OST acontece, e você fica se perguntando "porque???"

O cenário, apesar de lindo, não aparenta ser de um filme de guerra. Os soldados não parecem cansados, e toda aquela situação não aprece tão ruim quanto o filme tenta nos enfiar "goela abaixo". Para uma total imersão, decidi rever o filme no fone de ouvido, sem legendas e com o áudio original. Porem eu não contava com uma trilha sonora tão alta. Na maioria das vezes, principalmente se tratando de compositores talentosos como Hans Zimmer, isso não me chateia, mas aqui todos os personagens fazem um esforço ENORME pra... sussurrar. Não sou fluente na língua inglesa, porém a dificuldade que tive pra entender as falas foi fora do normal. O filme já conta com poucas linhas de dialogo, e quando há, eu não as entendo.

No final das contas, assisti o filme mais uma vez, priorizando o máximo a imersão e qualidade do mesmo, mas ainda assim não fui capaz de dizer o que essa historia veio para contar.

Edit: Depois de me esforçar muito, consegui entender o porque muitas pessoas amaram o filme. A atmosfera criada pelo Nolan é, talvez, inovadora. O vazio, a falta proposital de emoção, expressividade ou até personalidade provam o ponto niilista do filme. Eu fiquei um pouco confuso, pois a OST tecla muito no drama, que ao meu ver, não existe sem pre-requisitos. Porém, eu consigo sim compreender o porque esse filme é autentico em alguns aspectos, e isso merece sim seu reconhecimento - mesmo eu não tendo entrado no filme.

Áudio: English, no subtitles [6°]
Quality: 4K HDR
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1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
MahmusSep 25, 2020
In my opinion, one of Christopher Nolan's biggest weakneses has always been his characters.
Dunkirk "fixes" this problem by almost completely eliminating the concept of characters, but it does come with big downsides.
On the one hand, it
In my opinion, one of Christopher Nolan's biggest weakneses has always been his characters.
Dunkirk "fixes" this problem by almost completely eliminating the concept of characters, but it does come with big downsides.

On the one hand, it lets Nolan focus on what he's best at: the technicals.

The cinematography is stunning, the editing and direction are pretty good (althought the constantly changing aspect ratio is very distracting).
And the music is, once again, Hans Zimmer pressing his whole arm on the keyboard.

On the other hand, not having any real character makes many scenes feel like they drag for way too long and makes for a very dull experience.

If we knew something about any of these people maybe it would have been different.

Overall, it's not a terrible movie, but a very unmemorable one.
Like most Nolan movies, it's technically impressive.

The lack of characterization makes it more bearable for me than something like Interstellar,
but it does negatively impact what could have been a very compelling drama, instead of just a series of well shot battle sequences.
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1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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6
Onlyclassicvg1Sep 18, 2022
Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disasterDr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone - tethered to nothing Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
angryteenAug 14, 2020
vissualy stunning and a lot of great shots and vissual effects but when you see what is inside the movie you will find is empty, with no characters just spectacle
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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6
barbiesuperfanMar 17, 2022
you losers only watched it because harry styles is in it but the movie itself wasnt 10/10 worthy maybe like 7/10 at most
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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5
netflicJul 23, 2017
This is not a war drama as the name might suggest but rather a Hollywood-style action movie slightly based on a famous event when in May 1940 more than three-hundred-thousand-strong Allied army miraculously avoided annihilation and managed toThis is not a war drama as the name might suggest but rather a Hollywood-style action movie slightly based on a famous event when in May 1940 more than three-hundred-thousand-strong Allied army miraculously avoided annihilation and managed to cross English Channel from France to safety. Also known as Miracle of Dunkirk or Operation Dynamo.
So, in the first place, it is a movie about survival.
I value war dramas much higher compared to action movies so I might be not an objective judge in this case. There is a lot of bang in this movie, maybe even more than in a regular action movie. Starting from first minutes into the film I noticed how unrealistic it was, and that impression was held thru the end. That lack of realism together with a lack of a story did not allow me to emotionally bond with any character.
I did not feel the scale of the operation, and it was not obvious how critically important that event was for the fate of the war and of the world.
Crirics and audience alike are crazy about the film, talking about the best movie for Oscar, claiming a great experience viewing it.
I admit, cinematography is masterful but I did not see much acting there and was not happy with directing. I guess I am too hard to please... Maybe my expectations were too high.
For entertainment purpose this film has to be seen on a large screen.
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6 of 20 users found this helpful614
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5
jgzegerJun 9, 2018
I found the story-telling here confusing and the visuals monotonous. I was perplexed as to why it was so highly rated.
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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5
erom1943Jan 5, 2018
I was very disappointed in this movie, primarily due to the rave reviews and hype. I expected a much more entertaining experience. Instead, I got more of a docudrama, showing the politics and horrors of war. It was, however, enlighteningI was very disappointed in this movie, primarily due to the rave reviews and hype. I expected a much more entertaining experience. Instead, I got more of a docudrama, showing the politics and horrors of war. It was, however, enlightening as to what went on at Dunkirk, which many Americans are unaware.
The director constantly used time changes which confused the viewer throughout, Not until I was more than half way through did I start realizing what he was doing. Characters were not well developed, and there was little plot, other than reenactment of actions during that battle, and the horrors the soldiers endured. I came away knowing more about what happened at Dunkirk, but felt depressed and unentertained. “Saving Private Ryan” it is not.
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1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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5
XitArSAug 13, 2017
I'm sorry! I really looked forward to this but this was the let down of the year! To begin with, you have no character development at all, all characters are just like ants, meaningless. The scope of the movie is supposed to be about an armyI'm sorry! I really looked forward to this but this was the let down of the year! To begin with, you have no character development at all, all characters are just like ants, meaningless. The scope of the movie is supposed to be about an army of 400 000 men, stranded in a city and how they were rescued. The highest number of men you ever see in one scene is perhaps one thousand, and that's a view of the entire beach. And what are they doing? Just standing in line waiting for boats to arrive. So instead of an epic saga, what you'll get is basically an old fisherman and his kid sailing on the English channel, two fighter pilots flying around in the air and a dozen random soldiers doing nothing. You see three-four airplanes in the air (in total, throughout the entire movie) and you get to see perhaps two destroyers. Other than that there's about one hundred fishing ships. This movie might be worth the watch if you have nothing else to do, but it definitely does not hold up to the hype. It's a mediocre movie at best! Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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5
philatJul 30, 2017
Why Dunkirk is so highly praised if unclear. Lots of battle scenes, endless air battle [about six planes], ships blown up, guys in the water swimming--really--with their heavy gear. The constant shifting from air/sea/land was confusing. SoWhy Dunkirk is so highly praised if unclear. Lots of battle scenes, endless air battle [about six planes], ships blown up, guys in the water swimming--really--with their heavy gear. The constant shifting from air/sea/land was confusing. So was the time sequence--Spitfire with 50 gallons or less of fuel fights on and on. Movie would have helped early on with an enlarged map of where Dunkirk is, nearness to England, something about how Brits had defensive perimeter that Germans did not attack--and maybe why. Great photography--but essentially disappointing. Only story that seemed connected and moving was the small Brit ship and its part in returning soldiers home.... Expand
11 of 26 users found this helpful1115
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5
SikkoDec 18, 2017
Do not buy into the critical hype. This is an ordinary war film at best.

Pro: The sense of desolation on the beach is decently represented. Con: The scale of the evacuation never hit home, 1000 ships participated, and some 84 allied
Do not buy into the critical hype. This is an ordinary war film at best.

Pro:
The sense of desolation on the beach is decently represented.

Con:
The scale of the evacuation never hit home, 1000 ships participated, and some 84 allied aircraft were lost. I got no sense of scale from the movie, except troops on the beach.
Lack of character depth and development
Poor aircraft CGI (patchy, there are scenes where Hurricanes are shown banking perfectly together, which ripped me out of the immersion)
Strangely, no sense of urgency around anything that happened.
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7 of 15 users found this helpful78
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5
BratJul 31, 2017
I'm sorry it's not getting to me. The music is the strongest part, the visuals are... fine, but still it's a movie about nothing. Don't get me wrong, it is a very well known historical event, but do not expect a Serving Private Ryan or BlackI'm sorry it's not getting to me. The music is the strongest part, the visuals are... fine, but still it's a movie about nothing. Don't get me wrong, it is a very well known historical event, but do not expect a Serving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down kind of thing. It's a slow unfolding of interlacing plots, leading to not so well executed and a little trivial ending. Still only worth to see in IMAX. Oh, and a very loud movie. Read about it before you go to see it. Expand
10 of 22 users found this helpful1012
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5
numcrun2Jul 21, 2017
Don't believe the hype. I saw it in Imax and a lot of the dialogue was indecipherable (Rex Reed makes the same point). There is surprisingly little dialogue and a lot of unnecessary time shifting. There are some decent action scenes sure, butDon't believe the hype. I saw it in Imax and a lot of the dialogue was indecipherable (Rex Reed makes the same point). There is surprisingly little dialogue and a lot of unnecessary time shifting. There are some decent action scenes sure, but the plot is a bit thin (yes I know it's a true story) and it's just OK overall. Rex Reed's review very closely matched my own views. Expand
22 of 59 users found this helpful2237
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5
SeriousReviewJul 22, 2017
It is a good movie, but it could have been so much more. First off, roughly 900 vessels were involved in the Dunkirk evacuation and about 10 are shown. I understand not wanting to use excessive CGI, but it really detracts from what should beIt is a good movie, but it could have been so much more. First off, roughly 900 vessels were involved in the Dunkirk evacuation and about 10 are shown. I understand not wanting to use excessive CGI, but it really detracts from what should be a turning point in the film. Numbers like 400,000 men are bandied about in the film, but all of 500 men are actually shown, even from a distance. Furthermore, Nolan sacrifices character depth and any kind of backstory - even going so far as to have most of the characters pretty much nameless - in order to showcase his artistic vision. The upshot is that I found it difficult to emotionally invest in any of the characters. Whilst his gritty portrayal is beautiful and it has its moving moments, of which the opening scene is particularly memorable, in general the film fails to capture the scale of Dunkirk and at the same time manages to underwhelm in character development. It isn't a bad film, but it is often boring and what really sucks is the squandered potential it had. Expand
34 of 69 users found this helpful3435
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5
HotelCentralFeb 7, 2018
What a shame that filmmakers of a former age wasted time and effort inventing characters and composing dialog and developing stories, when all they really had to do is patch together a few action scenes, instruct their thespians to ad lib aWhat a shame that filmmakers of a former age wasted time and effort inventing characters and composing dialog and developing stories, when all they really had to do is patch together a few action scenes, instruct their thespians to ad lib a few grunts or shouts, and call it a movie!

I mean, really, there is no story here. It's a series of anecdotes. It's a Studs Terkel oral history with newsreel footage substituted for words.

Watch this if you must. Myself, I'll re-watch a film with characters and story, such as Mrs. Miniver (1942).
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3 of 7 users found this helpful34
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5
shoulderoforionJan 23, 2018
Sorry, but Dunkirk wasn't all that great. To take one of the most heroic naval rescues in human history & to make it as boring as Nolan did should be a criminal. This was 2 hrs of a movie waiting to happen, but never did. Protip : get anSorry, but Dunkirk wasn't all that great. To take one of the most heroic naval rescues in human history & to make it as boring as Nolan did should be a criminal. This was 2 hrs of a movie waiting to happen, but never did. Protip : get an empty beach, shoot a movie on it, profit, i guess. Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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5
dispencer187Aug 29, 2017
Conceptually a 10/10. I guess I just didn't really care for the characters all that much. Not sure if that makes me a bad person but just couldn't really get into it.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
Donovan84Aug 1, 2017
I have to say this is an overrated movie by the critics. You know all the good things about the movie from most reviews. Here was my problem with it. At the start of the movie, we are told the British and French are surrounded by "the enemy."I have to say this is an overrated movie by the critics. You know all the good things about the movie from most reviews. Here was my problem with it. At the start of the movie, we are told the British and French are surrounded by "the enemy." What enemy? Are they afraid to say it was the Germans? Throughout the movie, not one swastika is seen anywhere. As far as the movie goes, if you go into this movie not knowing much about Dunkirk, you'll leave the movie not knowing much more. They really should have had strategy scenes in Hitler HQ talking about the strategy to trap the British soldiers. And then strategy scenes in Churchill's HQ on how they would attempt to save them. Maybe show some map scenes demonstrating what was happening. Oh well. Expand
5 of 17 users found this helpful512
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5
SrPepeFeb 15, 2018
Mal filmada con personajes vacíos y partes muy aburridas. Tiene una excelente banda sonora y grandes efectos de sonidos, pero carece de la mística cinematográfica que atrapa al espectador y lo introduce en la historia.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
miccaelJun 30, 2019
This was a strange movie. I love the story of Dunkirk but the story here has no beginning and end that is satisfactory. I wish a movie about Dunkirk was better than this.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
SavageYetiJan 13, 2018
one of the most boring war movies or movies in general that i have ever seen, i was so let down by this movie. it is by far one of if not the most overrated movie of the year. if you want a great war movie go watch fury because it blows thisone of the most boring war movies or movies in general that i have ever seen, i was so let down by this movie. it is by far one of if not the most overrated movie of the year. if you want a great war movie go watch fury because it blows this one out of the water. Expand
4 of 9 users found this helpful45
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5
mahcussmahtJul 21, 2017
Like if the history channel had an unlimited budget to make a historical recreation. There are no characters - the people are just scenery. There's not much story or plot. It's epic and beautifully shot, but I genuinely feel it's beingLike if the history channel had an unlimited budget to make a historical recreation. There are no characters - the people are just scenery. There's not much story or plot. It's epic and beautifully shot, but I genuinely feel it's being overrated. As a film, it's sort of dull. As a historical recreation, it's solid. Expand
20 of 55 users found this helpful2035
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5
Sexbot-5000Dec 25, 2017
The movie is pretty. And that is half the problem. The other half is the constant use of the thumping soundtrack at all times. I liked the sound at first. An hour and a half in I had to take a break because the mental strain of the constantThe movie is pretty. And that is half the problem. The other half is the constant use of the thumping soundtrack at all times. I liked the sound at first. An hour and a half in I had to take a break because the mental strain of the constant thumping noise was really bad. Like “Do I even want to subject myself to this monotonous soul sucking noise?” bad. The other half of the problem is this is the most sterile war movie ever. No blood could have worked. No blood, dirt, facial hair, emotion, or any imperfections of any sort did not. It’s like watching a documentary accept it’s acctually cleaner than any documentary I have ever seen. It’s like they made war into an art exhibit it’s so clean. So overall I loved the airplane scenes and the amount of men and extras and the sense of scale was seriously mind blowing. If your someone who can’t stand really annoying sounds or someone who doesn’t like the idea of a WW2 as an art exhibit this movie isn’t for you. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
Roy_HobbsJul 21, 2017
After reading the reviews, I had high expectations for this film, but in the end was completely underwhelmed. It wasn't bad, but certainly not as good as what I had expected. Overall, I found the fractured way the story was told, dialogueAfter reading the reviews, I had high expectations for this film, but in the end was completely underwhelmed. It wasn't bad, but certainly not as good as what I had expected. Overall, I found the fractured way the story was told, dialogue that I couldn't always decipher and an on-going struggle (this was probably just me) to figure out who was who (many of the characters were similar looking to me) took away from my overall enjoyment of this film. Expand
26 of 64 users found this helpful2638
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5
CeddybearJul 22, 2017
A beautiful, visceral remake of Saving Private Ryan that seems keen on presenting itself as a cinematic breakthrough. It isn’t, but its cinematography and score will do their best to tell you otherwise. By all means enjoy the ride.

Most
A beautiful, visceral remake of Saving Private Ryan that seems keen on presenting itself as a cinematic breakthrough. It isn’t, but its cinematography and score will do their best to tell you otherwise. By all means enjoy the ride.

Most problematic is the absence of fresh thesis. The absence of characters doesn't need to be an issue but the film has less to say than its now 20 year old sibling, which raises questions about humanity vs nation and the significance of individuality in the face of jingoistic death. Dunkirk on the other hand seems content to let you know that war is bad, and call it a day.

Frankly, WW2 remains an exhausted framework through which to absorb the slim themes on display here. Making the cast English hasn't fixed how overdone this whole thing is, and as such the critical outpouring should be taken with a degree of well-earned caution.
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6 of 20 users found this helpful614
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5
jondavisJul 22, 2017
This is war porn. No time is spent on developing the characters. You'd be hard pressed to identify who the main character even is and to name the characters at the end of the movie. Yes, the film is visually stunning. But so is a lot of porn.This is war porn. No time is spent on developing the characters. You'd be hard pressed to identify who the main character even is and to name the characters at the end of the movie. Yes, the film is visually stunning. But so is a lot of porn. Very poor storytelling. All plot, no narrative, arc, or emotion. The soundtrack is also poor. It's more noise than music. Expand
8 of 23 users found this helpful815
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5
BaffledrealityJul 24, 2017
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Im sorry but i just don't understand why anyone won't point out, that Dunkirk in the movie, looks nothing like Dunkirk during WW2??? Where is the known ferris wheel? Where are all the countless stranded ships? (1 is shown during the movie) where are all the trucks and burning wrecks? (some trucks are shown during the movie, where they try to make a pier) where are all the destroyed buildings? (modern buildings can be spotted during the movie) Where are all the machinegun emplacements? (countless lewis machineguns were set up around the beach in real life) I cant be the only who noticed this? I'm not saying the movie is bad, im just baffled by the amount of positive critique it gets for being historical accurate, when its nowhere near historical accurate. 338.000 allied troops were evacuated at Dunkirk. roughly 15.000 are shown in the movie. 700 private boats sailed to Dunkirk to aid the evacuation. 15-20 boats are shown in the movie. Eyewitness reports from the real evacuation tells stories of drunk soldiers, singing soldiers, etc. Im sorry but the movie itself just left me with an emotion of feeling underwhelmed. This is NOLAN we are talking about. The man has a budget called "just make the movie, money isnt an issue" Where is the great story? Where is the great characters you really root for, and love? Where is the major part in the movie where we find out (you were my ghost all along = Interstellar reference) Im sorry but this is an average movie for me. The soundtrack is SUBERB! And the whole sound editing is amazing. But the editing of the scenes is just confusing? And the whole Nolan reference to TIME is just too much in this movie. 5 out of 10 for brilliant effects, and sound editing. -5 for bad film editing. Various historical inaccuracies. No story that really captures the audience. Expand
4 of 12 users found this helpful48
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5
WorldofLuckyFeb 3, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overhyped, and ultimately a disappointment.

It is great to see a World War II movie come out this year. It is even better that it isn't American centric. I love my country, but we have made it this idea we won World War II by ourselves which isn't the case.

The movie has some pretty spots, taking the story of three groups that intertwine. The first group about British Spitfires (fighter planes) trying to give some cover, and engaging with German air force. Resulting in Tom Hardy having the only interesting action in the movie.

The second story about a small civilian ship as part of the armada of civilians coming to rescue the trapped soldiers and the story that unfolds when they pick up a soldier from a sunk ship.

Finally the third story is about two soldiers trying to survive on the beach, and wait for the rescue coming from the civilian ships.

It was interesting that all three stories occurred over different period of time but ended together. The fighters story was within an hour, the ship within a few hours, and the soldiers within a couple of days. I think this could work in other movies, and I suspect this will spark a lot of copycats for that style. We will hate this just as much as other niche storytelling styles within a few years.

The problem is there is actually very little story. It is hard to see that because the story keeps jumping around, but when you step back the story itself lacks anything. I have seen documentaries on Dunkirk that had more story. I don't know if there was never a full story, or if maybe the story got lost when Nolan was trying to break it up to fight the weird timing, but either way it is pretty barren.

I cared nothing about the soldiers at all, Nolan provided nothing for the audience to care about. Tom Hardy was interesting, but that was because of him, not because the story gave him anything. The only story I felt a little compelling was about the civilian ship, its crew of two teens and an older man and how they handle picking up a survivor. Even this story though was lacking on details and when you step back you wonder where the other half of the story went.

I will admit the possibility that the hype was so big that my expectations may be too high. I was told huge action sequences, and I didn't see that. This isn't Saving Private Ryan, or The Battle of Britain even. It was fairly boring for me, and I can really like slow movies. The movie has a short run time, but I was still looking at the clock before it was over.

The good: It is an interesting way to tell a story, and it is nice to see a non-American based World War II movie.

The bad: The pacing was slow, very little action or story, and very overhyped.

This is a movie I would recommend if you are a die hard World War II fan, but even then wait until it hits Netflix.
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2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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5
zstarkey20Apr 29, 2018
I liked the film, but it left me a bit disappointed. The moments of chaos seemed too controlled aside from moments of the sinking ship. Lastly, I wasn't thrilled with the ending and I left the movie slightly unsatisfied. All in all thoughI liked the film, but it left me a bit disappointed. The moments of chaos seemed too controlled aside from moments of the sinking ship. Lastly, I wasn't thrilled with the ending and I left the movie slightly unsatisfied. All in all though it's a movie worth seeing. Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
Ahmedrizwan11Jul 11, 2019
This movie is boring and i would not recommend it to anyone. It started off interesting but later on , the entire theatre was sleeping
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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5
dmturnerJul 29, 2020
I wanted to love this movie as I am Brit, a big Chris Nolan fan and history buff but it so poorly made. The dumbest decision was to film in the real Dunkirk which looks nothing like it did back in 1940 and it had 0 character deployment.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
fartyfreakNov 7, 2022
Realistically the film was giggle worthy. By far not the best war movie ever made. Half the viewers of this movie only watched it for Harry. His acting was so funny, and somehow has gotten worse. Honestly at some point I wish HE had jumpedRealistically the film was giggle worthy. By far not the best war movie ever made. Half the viewers of this movie only watched it for Harry. His acting was so funny, and somehow has gotten worse. Honestly at some point I wish HE had jumped off the boat, but I guess I am glad he survived. If he died, we wouldn't hear his outstanding British voice talking so seriously. Imagine the spit coming out of his mouth. He was scathing. Poor Gibson. The movie was a colossal waste of time, only worth it to laugh. In all honesty, I've forgotten any other scene of this film, it's just Harry. And not even because he's good, because he's bad. Should stick to singing. Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
JasonJJul 28, 2017
I don't know what movie everyone else saw... but the only ones I agree with here are the ones giving scores of 2 through 6. I'm a huge war movie fan. This movie had very little action, which isn't a big deal if you had an interesting plotI don't know what movie everyone else saw... but the only ones I agree with here are the ones giving scores of 2 through 6. I'm a huge war movie fan. This movie had very little action, which isn't a big deal if you had an interesting plot with characters you can connect with. I didn't care about any of the characters in this movie. When I saw SPR, I didn't want it to end. When I saw this movie, I couldn't wait for it to end. There was absolutely no connection to the audience. I have no idea what the critics or the 9 and 10 viewers are talking about. Expand
8 of 18 users found this helpful810
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4
RighterAug 6, 2017
When compared to some great classic war movies, Dunkirk is both mediocre and unnecessary. Nolan, it seems, can't forget that Memento is what initially made him, and uses a time-shifting device that is both unnecessary to the drama andWhen compared to some great classic war movies, Dunkirk is both mediocre and unnecessary. Nolan, it seems, can't forget that Memento is what initially made him, and uses a time-shifting device that is both unnecessary to the drama and gimmicky to the point of tediousness. To make matters worse he deliberately dispenses with one word ("ago") that would have made viewers enjoy the time-shift instead of spending some time confused by it and trying to work out how it works. Add to that the ridiculous liberties he takes with history and it's clear he's pandering to British Jingoism and little else. Dunkirk ignores a few key historical facts; that the French kept the British soldiers alive, that the British, in return, didn't help the French evacuate their own soldiers, and that the only reason the evacuation of Dunkirk could take place was because Hitler (for his own reasons) specifically gave an order that stopped the Germans from attacking the allies in Dunkirk when he could quite easily have wiped out the soldiers stuck there. Even apart from all those issues, the movie is simply overhyped and lacks the scope that the buzz and the trailer would have you believe it has. To see the movie, you'd think the soldiers amounted to no more than a few thousand (and in most scenes, barely a few hundred). The soundtrack by Hans Zimmer (who is, by now, infamous for his music plagiarism) is also incredibly overrated and relies mostly on the 'Shepard Tone' audio illusion to create a false sense of tension and drama. Dunkirk is white, British, and pretentious and to top it all off, ends with Churchill's famous "We will never surrender" speech, which, by now, we're all tiresomely familiar with - once again glorifying a man who referred to Palestinians as 'dogs', and who allowed the bombing of Coventry, and who also had no issues bombing and destroying the civilian city of Dresden. Expand
2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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4
AxelskullDec 4, 2018
I wouldn't really call this a film but I'd say it was an interesting experience. The story follows a few characters that are completely forgettable and they each have their own little storylines that are also forgettable. I watched this inI wouldn't really call this a film but I'd say it was an interesting experience. The story follows a few characters that are completely forgettable and they each have their own little storylines that are also forgettable. I watched this in IMAX and the sound and photography were great and very immersive. For the first 20 minutes. Then the gunshots and noise just hurt your ears. I'd say unless you're watching it in imax don't bother with it. Expand
3 of 7 users found this helpful34
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4
SpunkyMonkeyAug 6, 2017
Great in bits, poor in others, too long, not enough depth. There's defo moments which will have you buzzing, and it does capture a certain Britishness which I loved (the tea factor is awesome). But ultimately there's not really enough for youGreat in bits, poor in others, too long, not enough depth. There's defo moments which will have you buzzing, and it does capture a certain Britishness which I loved (the tea factor is awesome). But ultimately there's not really enough for you to invest in to be as moved as you should be. Plus it Hollywood-ifies it too much in parts, with OTT events constantly happening to one bloke and everyone thinking "well he's invulnerable"

And the music is annoying as hell music. Strings keep a two chord progression motif constantly running, as well as a single pitch note hanging constantly in a poor attempt to build tension. You feel more relief when the cavelry arrive that the music changes rather than that they've saved the day.

Also, Nolan just drags out some scenes way, WAY too much, and often mistakes building tension for building boredom.
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1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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4
PaperThingAug 8, 2017
**** the zeitgeist propelling this movie.

Baffled by how Michael Bay or Terrance Malick are liable for being criticised for the exact things for which this movie is being praised for. Namely a beautifully shot, but completely asinine and
**** the zeitgeist propelling this movie.

Baffled by how Michael Bay or Terrance Malick are liable for being criticised for the exact things for which this movie is being praised for. Namely a beautifully shot, but completely asinine and poorly constructed cure for insomnia.

There is no plot, there is little character and no development, the action scenes are poorly edited and paced, and the sound design for much of the film leaves the audio difficult to understand or become invested in. These are all criticism that could be levelled at the aforementioned filmmakers - that the framing and audio are unintelligible - but here it is scene as "daring" or "minimalistic".

Ultimately, it's worst crime is being too boring, for me at least, to suspend my disbelief. Save your money.
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2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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4
wollam11Aug 19, 2017
Vastly overrated film with dialogue that almost incomprehensible, most being mumbled, and little to no story beyond the basic plot: private yachts and fishing boats save the English infantry. Tye Sheridan is in this but I'm not sure he wasVastly overrated film with dialogue that almost incomprehensible, most being mumbled, and little to no story beyond the basic plot: private yachts and fishing boats save the English infantry. Tye Sheridan is in this but I'm not sure he was playing any character other than 'adventuring boy who tags along'- I knew nothing about him and frankly didn't care what happened to him. Just an incredibly boring movie. Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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