Dunkirk (2017)

[WrathOfHan]

Pretty good. IMAX is definitely the way to see this film as its sound design is great and needs to be heard as loud as possible. However, the film isn't really leaving an impact on me. It's a technical marvel that's very well paced, but I don't quite feel a connection to the film despite a fantastic final scene. I dunno. I need a rewatch to figure out where I land, but for now, I'll give it an 8.5/10 | B+

[elcaballero]

This was good, but I'll stop short of great. It almost felt like a highlight reel of tense scenes, all presented about as beautifully as possible. I get Nolan's choice for foregoing explicit characterization, but it did make the movie feel somewhat empty to me. 

 

At least Tom Hardy survived. My arm started feeling tired watching him crank his landing gear down. 

[aabattery]

11 hours ago, cannastop said:

Such as the boat target practice scene. I was thinking "wait a minute..." in the theater. Why would the enemy be that close?

 

They did say that the boat was outside of the perimeter in the movie. I really don't know enough to say if that scenario would be possible in real life though.

Edited July 24, 2017 by aabattery

[Avatree]

Lots of very impressive shots and sets, but not much more than that. A tech demo can only go so far before you get bored. I can't name a single character let alone attempt to describe any of them. In a film like this it's kind of hard to go along with it without any way in to the characters.

 

I didn't know anything about the evacuation before seeing the film so didn't know how it ended - but I really couldn't care less during the movie. I mean I was engaged enough, but whether they all got killed or they escaped it wouldn't have bothered me either way. Which given that you don't see a single enemy person in the film (which I hadn't realised until writing this sentence) really speaks to how little I cared about the characters. I'd also try to pick a few holes in the plot but I don't care enough to do so.

 

That being said, I am glad it is possible to make films like this on such a large budget. I'm not especially a fan of Nolan but I'm glad he is able to make the films he wants to make, as opposed to most tentpole releases which consist of bland CGI nonsense trying to sell you toys.

Edited July 24, 2017 by Manchester by the Tree

[Fancyarcher]

My review of Dunkirk (pimping this site a bit, since I need views anyway).

 

https://dailyuv.com/news/914616

[hasanahmad]

6 hours ago, Manchester by the Tree said:

Lots of very impressive shots and sets, but not much more than that. A tech demo can only go so far before you get bored. I can't name a single character let alone attempt to describe any of them. In a film like this it's kind of hard to go along with it without any way in to the characters.

 

I didn't know anything about the evacuation before seeing the film so didn't know how it ended - but I really couldn't care less during the movie. I mean I was engaged enough, but whether they all got killed or they escaped it wouldn't have bothered me either way. Which given that you don't see a single enemy person in the film (which I hadn't realised until writing this sentence) really speaks to how little I cared about the characters. I'd also try to pick a few holes in the plot but I don't care enough to do so.

 

That being said, I am glad it is possible to make films like this on such a large budget. I'm not especially a fan of Nolan but I'm glad he is able to make the films he wants to make, as opposed to most tentpole releases which consist of bland CGI nonsense trying to sell you toys.

6 hours ago, Manchester by the Tree said:

 

https://medium.com/@hasanahmad/dunkirk-b5c181c6c7a6

Edited July 24, 2017 by hasanahmad

[Travod]

Have we talked about how the final shot just totally throws everything off? Especially when the shot before is a pretty burning plane.

[CoolioD1]

i liked the final shot. there's a sense of ambiguity to it. it's the dude realizing he's probably gonna be sent back into the war pretty soon. it's a "this is only the beginning" sort of thing.

[Ethan Hunt]

I remember thinking the last shot was weird. Like I was fairly certain the plane was the the last shot. And then boom something else (don't even remember what it was) it felt pretty weird

[The Panda]

This was a spectacular piece by Nolan, seeing it in 70mm IMAX was immersive and kept you holding your breath.  There's a lot of power in it, and even with sparse dialogue, there's plenty of weight to it.

 

It's also not an empty spectacle piece, despite being reliant on the visual and technical showcase to drive the story forward.  The three timeline format is innovative, clear cut, and keeps you engaged and interested as it's rather unconventional.

 

It's a movie that doesn't show you the horrors of war or the effects of war, but a movie that makes you feel as if you're in the war, and that's what makes it unique.  It makes you empathetic with these characters that you really don't get much time to really know, and I thought the film's characterization was effective for the kind of story it was telling.  I didn't need to know that these characters had a wife, or kids and so on because it's a short term fight for survival.  When you're being bombed you don't go and strike up a reflective conversation about your past, you're just trying not to get blown up.

 

Also, despite the technical marvel of it all, it's minimalistic in its nature.  It doesn't overdo the imagery, and it makes some of the shots all the more compelling because of it.  It also has one of the best sound designs I've heard in a while, where the shots and the bombs feel as if they're happening around you.  This is highlighted by one of Zimmer's best scores.

 

The movie leaves you wondering at points how on earth will these people make it through, even though you know the outcome going in.  It becomes inspiring at points because of that, showing a light at the end of the tunnel, and the film really manages to invoke a sense of the fear people alive in that situation would have felt.

 

It's Nolan's best film by a long shot, and is a powerful work of art. A+

[filmlover]

I just saw it again in 70MM and I think it was actually better the second time. I can't recall ever seeing a movie that made me appreciate how special the theatrical experience is as much as this movie does. Not even Avatar to such an extent.

[somebody85]

This was absolutely incredible in Dolby 5.1 (Would have done IMAX but the sound is actually better in this theater and I missed that showing). I can't think of a more immersive theater experience I've had since Gravity. Unbelievable sound design. My seat would vibrate whenever the film was following anyone in the sky.

I didn't have a problem with the lack of character development and honestly thought the film would have been just as effective without any dialogue (some of it was hard to hear at times). But to me, this overall disorientation added to the immersion and I had no complaints with the three separate timelines. 

I went in expecting a film that was going to throw me into a head first into a war and that's exactly what I got. You're missing out if you don't watch this in Dolby 5.1, IMAX or D-Box. Quite a thrilling ride. 

A

Edited July 25, 2017 by somebody85

[mattmav45]

With some reservations, simply a damn good film.

 

Nolan hasn't yet enraptured me in the way that he has enraptured countless of other cinema fans.  Nobody can doubt his film-making prowess on a technical scale, but, subjectively, there's regularly been a disconnect with his narrative handlings.  Specifically, I'll be damned if emotional investment isn't hard to come by in his previous offerings.  Fortunately for the viewer, such is not the case here.

 

It seems that the biggest criticism levied on this film is the lack of emotional depth, arguably from the lack of character development tied to the characters.  I can't help but feel that the lack of character development is a strength in this instance.  These characters are defined by the situation they are placed in above all else.  Their situation in fact does define their character, i.e., soldiers in a desperate situation, surrounded by German soldiers, and looking for any way out.  To even attempt more development, outside of this, would be a misstep.

 

This is a mood piece through and through.  There's marginal dialogue, and very little backstory to boot.  What there is, however, is hordes upon hordes of tension.  Every scene is simply dripping with tension, and in many ways the viewing itself is defined by said tension.  It's harrowing at times, but in many ways the beating heart of the viewing can be found through the tension.  I can't help but feel that investment in the characters is driven solely by immersion.  Immerse yourself in the viewing, and investment is attained, plain and simple.

 

My biggest complaint tied to this film is the structure and handling of the narrative.  The film is told via three separate viewpoints that all tend to have a distinct synergy amongst one another.  While the lack of backstory makes sense in propelling you directly into the action, I can't help but feel some of the impact of the story has been lost.  It feels very "in the moment", but perhaps to the point that some of the power has been diluted as a result.  A divulging of some semblance of backstory and context would have gone a long way in this instance.

 

I'm not sure I'll ever transition into thinking Nolan is one of the great working modern directors, but I'll take a damn solid slice of war cinema for the time being.

[cannastop]

17 hours ago, Travod said:

Have we talked about how the final shot just totally throws everything off? Especially when the shot before is a pretty burning plane.

With all the talk about Tom Hardy being captured, I was wondering if anyone noticed that.

 

I kind of wondered if something wrong happened at my showing. It's not necessarily a bad shot, but you need to think about it. I liked what coolio said.

[Travod]

Second time around I really noticed how empty the beach looked for supposedly having 400,000 people. And there were like 900 civilian boats that went but the most you'll see in a shot is like 20.

 

Also the last shot is worse this time. The burning plane shot actually fades to black and the music comes to a crescendo so it's absolutely the last shot, and then it comes back to the kid. Bizarre, honestly.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Travod

[BOOYAH SUCKAS]

I enjoyed it but I really think that Nolan peaked with the Dark Knight, everything he has made since then ranges from great to good and this lands more in the good category. The biggest issue for me is probably the scale of the battle is lacking, it never felt like there were more than a few thousand men needing to be rescued. I'm not sure if that was due to budgetary concerns because Warner Bros. felt this was more risky than Inception or Interstellar or just that Nolan tries to use as little cgi as possible. The sound in this movie is simply amazing and I personally never thought it got to loud. The film showcases the different perspectives rather well but I felt that the different timelines made it a little confusing. 

Overall its worth seeing in theaters but I'm not sure if this is the kind of movie id be willing to buy. 

B+

[Travod]

If you want me to keep nitpicking, I'll do it.

 

The whole scene with the beached boat and the bad guy from Star Wars was almost cringey bad. Like, I wish the entire thing could be nixed from the movie. That they spend like five minutes arguing about how one person leaving the boat would somehow keep it from sinking ????????????????? And them trying to plug the holes on both sides of the boat ???????????? I almost started laughing at how desperate the whole thing was. Ugh. 

 

Still a 9/10

 

Tom Hardy / other pilot are probably my two best - the air segments >>>>>> everything else.

[Brainbug]

9/10, A.

 

I loved every minute of it, though indeed the final shot was very weird. Felt like an editing error to me. But this and Hacksaw Ridge are proof, that great war films are still produced and im very glad for that.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Brainbug

[RichWS]

My friend said it best: When Kenneth Branagh tears up at the sight of the boats coming in, it's a really great bit of physical acting. Terrific job by him. But that's all I was thinking. I wasn't IN the movie at that moment because it never hooked me emotionally. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy much of the experience, but it was lacking for me what others seem to be finding. 

 

On 7/26/2017 at 1:24 AM, Travod said:

The whole scene with the beached boat and the bad guy from Star Wars was almost cringey bad. Like, I wish the entire thing could be nixed from the movie. That they spend like five minutes arguing about how one person leaving the boat would somehow keep it from sinking ????????????????? And them trying to plug the holes on both sides of the boat ???????????? I almost started laughing at how desperate the whole thing was. Ugh. 

 

I was downright puzzled by how long he stretched that sequence out.

[Avatree]

Bad guy from Star Wars?