Waves crash. Bombs fall. The war rages on.
"Dunkirk" recalls a drastic event from World War II where over 330,000 soldiers awaited rescue along the northern shores of France. If war is Hell, we are able to witness three different perspectives of the event. Within a span of two hours, the movie focuses on those that fought on land, at sea, and in the air.
Tommy seemed to be the film's ultimate protagonist. Played by Fionn Whitehead, he sprints into Dunkirk and gives us the first look into the past. Soon, he finds himself in a series of failed attempts at escaping along with other British and French soldiers. One of them included Alex, who just happens to be played by Harry Styles. It cannot be denied that his first appearance on the big screen is convincing, but young fans of One Direction may want to wait until they're older to witness this R-rated production.
"Dunkirk" added another perspective to the war by including one of the rescue boats that made their way across the sea to Dunkirk. The three that manned the vessel included George, Peter, and Mr. Dawson. Barry Keoghan, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Mark Rylance made a useful team. Although these men do not speak for all, their passion, courage, and dedication made for a heartfelt insight as to what the other rescuers must have felt during WWII.
Finally, two pilots portray their contribution to Dunkirk by sharing their story from an aerial point of view. Jack Lowden and Tom Hardy played Collins and Farrier. Throughout the film, their mission was to take out any enemy aircraft in sight. The pilots' perspective, as well as the soldiers' and the rescuers', made as perfect components to this war story. Each carried a sense of importance to the film, and it was pleasing that each group joined together in the end.
Director and writer Christopher Nolan had a completely different take on a vision for this war film. Many spectators had high hopes from his previous works which is understandable. The creative team stood out the most for this production. "Dunkirk" carried brilliant cinematography thanks to Hoyte van Hoytema. Shots that were taken above the clouds and underwater showed to advantage as it displayed the struggle and the pain that every pilot or soldier had to face.
If "Dunkirk" was to be shown in IMAX, the audience would have an even more painful experience. Not only is it due to the subject of fatality, but also the consistent use of sound. Hans Zimmer and a large team of sound designers were creative and impressive. Whenever the world was crumbling down around the characters, music (or lack thereof) made the tension skyrocket. Planes flying overhead, gunfire, explosions, and the ticking echo of a clock were just some of the examples where sound greatly affected the audience's experience.
The use of time also influenced the overall experience. Action and tension made the hours fly by fast. Not a minute was wasted as most of the scenes were nerve-racking, causing an adrenaline rush. The feeling of danger and suffering was prominent throughout the film. This remembrance of the past was enough to make the audience feel grateful that they did not have witness this type of tragedy themselves.
Although some find "Dunkirk" to be repetitive and bleak, there is one aspect of the film that cannot be ignored. The film did not focus on character development. Throughout the film, most of the men and women do not even have names. It is not revealed where they came from, what they're fighting for, nor what side they're on. "Dunkirk" focused more on the event itself rather than the development of character.
War can take a lad and turn his world upside down. He may never be his true self again. Dead or alive, each soldier, pilot, and sailor commemorated to a historical event that shaped our current world. One thing's for sure. Every one of them had the same goal: to go home.
It takes a movie such as this to remind us that we should not have to face war again.
