Hans Zimmer forms the building blocks for this film’s success.
Dunkirk is a race against the clock as 400,000 soldiers stand on the beach of Dunkirk where they are surrounded by enemy forces. British and French soldiers alike have to fight to survive this living nightmare that has been brought upon them during World War II. The story is told from the perspectives of air, land and sea. Director and writer Christopher Nolan has said to have preferred to keep dialogue to a minimum and create suspense through cinematography and music. The goal was met and is perhaps why his film is one of the most nominated films for Oscar night for said categories of cinematography, editing, and sound. As well, this is Nolan’s first nomination for directing.
The score is absolutely spectacular, and it causes all kinds of nail-biting and edge of your seat sitting while gripping at its theater-cushioned nature. I saw this movie a long while back when it first came out, but if there’s something that has stuck with me through and through is this movie’s cinematic score. The tension and anxiety are evidently there.
The trailer says “hope is a weapon,” but this film is really the embodiment of hopelessness as time passes and one watches these men wondering how will they get out of this alive as time after time something inevitably goes wrong. The horrors and frustrations of war being a present form of hell are what we experience through the craft of Nolan. These men’s lives were at stake to defend a homeland, that in the end, received them because their survival was victory enough at the time. Surely, it’s based on a historical event, so with a quick search, you can find out if they survived or not (if one isn’t familiar with the background already). But, if you go in blind to see this movie, it is definitely a wild ride. What adds to this is the lack of chronological order, leaving you to piece the puzzle together. It is great that Nolan was both the writer and the director because the story was delivered somewhat flawlessly.
The acting was tremendous. The desperation was definitely there through body language and facial expressions since dialogue was, as mentioned before, down to a minimum. In an instant, you are caught up in their lives for the next hour and forty-six minutes of runtime. Fionn Whitehead was perfect as Tommy, serving as a guide for the audience to follow the story. Tom Hardy as Farrier draws you in with curiosity. Mark Rylance as Mr. Dawson is the only character that gives you reassured hope that the film will end on a somewhat brighter note because again, this is war and a guaranteed happy ending is a pipe dream in this story. Harry Styles was a surprise as he shined through his character with a believable performance. Finally, Kenneth Branagh was absolutely amazing and maybe one of my favorite actors in the film apart from Mark Rylance. On the downside, despite these appealing performances, the lack of solid character arcs leave you craving more.
Is it Oscar-worthy? Yes, but mostly for its cinematography and sound which is what it was recognized for. I don’t see it winning Best Picture, but it will definitely clean up in the music department. The film is an artistic piece, but other films nominated for the Best Picture award deserve it more. Visually and audibly it was a hit right out of the park despite being very experimental in its form.
Dunkirk is nominated for a grand total of eight academy award titles: Best Sound Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music Score, Best Director, and Best Picture.