Dunkirk: the gem of WW2 movies · 1:21am Jul 27th, 2017
Dear FIMFic,
As I'm sure you can guess by the title, I have just returned from seeing the movie Dunkirk. This is a thrilling movie; far beyond anything I could've thought from the legend Christopher Nolan, and I, much to my own shame, would rank this above his prior masterpiece, The Dark Knight. That's quite a claim to make, but I intend to defend this statement with a spoiler free analysis of why this movie is perhaps the best World War 2 movie ever made.
Now, there's a lot of people who will respond by saying I'm a fool. I know the Normandy landing in Saving Private Ryan was hailed as the most accurate depiction of that horrific battle, Tora, Tora, Tora! is a shockingly accurate representation of Pearl Harbor, Band of Brothers is a spectacular view of the western front and even Stalingrad is a wonderfully adapted portrayal of the bloodiest battle of World War 2, but Dunkirk is something else entirely. A lot of it's amazing accomplishments, though, is how the evacuation of the British Army is shown.
First, let me say this: I am American and I in no way think Britain was weak, the French were cowards or the Germans were experts in what happened. I respect the courage everyone had in the event and in no way will talk about any politics behind it.
So, onto the movie. There's few movies I've ever seen that care so much about mood and setting than this one. There's nothing glorious or shining about this, which is really accurate as far as I've been able to research. This was Britain's darkest hour, and the homage paid to the seriousness of it is nothing short of amazing. Everything around the soldiers made me believe the setting and the sheer terror of the Nazi's pressing down on them. Best of all, the movie was actually filmed ON THE BEACHES OF DUNKIRK. If that isn't dedication, I don't know what is.
Also, Nolan did another amazing thing with this movie; he let the action tell the story. There's something special about a war movie where the war itself is telling the story. Sure, there were heroes and there is dialogue, but the experience tells you what to feel and when to feel it. Your heart pounds not because someone is telling you it was scary, but you get some of the genuine terror and fear that I could only imagine the real soldiers got. The famous line in the trailer of 'like shooting fish in a barrel' is not an understatement as the movie goes on. You feel the entrapment, the powerlessness and the need for a miracle.
Best of all, it keeps the focus on what was important in this event. Just as Pearl Harbor galvanized the US into action, you get the sense that the Dunkirk evacuation was the key moment when Britain felt that, even though France and Europe were lost, there was still a chance to defeat Nazi Germany. In Winston Churchill's famous speech, he called it a 'colossal military disaster', but finished with the iconic line, "We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender," a speech I personally have gained new respect for.
There are hundreds of other things I could rave about this movie, but it's an experience best felt when you know only what you learned about in school. It truly is a masterpiece and rightfully the movie the summer has been waiting for. Every performance sells the idea of the proud British in a non-condescending way, whether it is a military officer, soldier or civilian, and the courage it took to survive the experience. There's no punches pulled and no cheap tricks to show how brave and noble the British and French soldiers were. This is, in my lowly internet dwelling opinion, how history should be shown to us.
If you've seen it, post your thoughts please, but do take care not to spoil it for those who haven't. If you have not seen it, go when you can. You might just learn something from a movie that they can't teach you in a history book.
Regards,
C.B.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc4wBfh3lwk
4613960
I think you mean to do it like this?
4613965
yes, i could never figure it out.
I haven't seen it yet, and I do want to. It is one of those events we don't seem to talk about much, granted for us Americans it wasn't a defining moment for us... and I suppose there are those idiots that would disparagingly on it because it was a retreat, ignoring the sheer amount of will to get to that moment, to sea lift so many people just so we have some hope that we would retake France and push back the darkness.
If I got time tomorrow I will go see it, if not... well there's next week... Never mind, Saturday tickets at Alamo Drafthouse
wish they would make a movie for the battle for castle Itter, its a real battle that plays out like a movie. it practically writes itself.
Try out these videos:
https://fmovies.is/film/dunkirk.9o888
https://fmovies.is/film/dunkirk.jjnnn
The first scene. My god, the first scene.
It's not so much as it's a hell of a jumpscare, but that it's the loudest gunshot I've ever heard in a movie or really anywhere apart from real life. Jumped out of my seat and just whispered, "Jesus Christ."
Every shot. Every explosion. Every Jericho Trumpet. Every scream. Every sound was loud, and it was fucking scary.
Those Stukas are seriously terrifying. My god. Every scene with them made me almost piss myself. Can't even imagine actually standing there on a long stretch of a beach beginning to hear them coming.
This movie HAS to be up there with the greats. My God. The best movie experience I've ever had apart from Fury Road. IMAX OP. I can't describe how fantastic it was.
I'm watching it tomorrow morning in 70mm, cannot express how hyped I am.
However, the best WW2 movie is either Patton or Bridge on the River Kwai though I'm glad to see Tora, Tora, Tora! mentioned.
4614174
Be prepared for LOUD. Because it's loud.
4614177 I'll let my friends know too, thanks.
Just want to point out that Winston Churchill is not a person worthy of respect. He was a white-supremacist monster who purposely starved millions of people to death. https://www.google.com/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/not-his-finest-hour-the-dark-side-of-winston-churchill-2118317.html%3famp
Am I the only ww2 buff who disliked this movie? I give them props for not shoe horning minorities into a war they were largely absent from, but that's all. Why did they feel the need to mix up 3 different timelines. They showed the spitfires shooting down that bomber 3 or 4 times. Then there were multiple scenes put in for the sake of padding the runtime: they dedicated almost 10 minutes to them running with the stretcher the boat. I also felt like they did a poor job showing the sheer scale of the evacuation; it's been said that there were so many boats a man could walk across the channel. That was exaggerated of course, but they showed at most 15 boats. And then there's the plane at the end, which wouldn't have burned like showed because there was no gas left in it. The music did a good job setting the tone though. I give it 3 stars.
4614204
Churchill is too worthy of respect, but he was a warmonger that declined multiple peace offers. He also could have prevented the holocaust by letting germany move the jews to palistine but he refused to give up british territory in the middle east.
4614237
They did that on purpose. The messed up times was purposefully made to confuse the watcher and replicate how disorienting the entire thing was, and in the end it all matched out. Very clever in my opinion
Also, they only had 15 boats from the actual evacuation, so they used them. And in the movie they don't show that much so it works out.
And yes, the plane would burn. The reason fires are lethal to planes isn't the fuel (well... it is) but that besides the frame (and on a number of planes including the frame) the entire plane is flammable.
Okay, so my comments on the movie.
Loved it!!
First off, the sound. The first gunshot rang, i had a heart attack, and i almost hit the floor. It sounded like a real gun. The diesel engines roaring away on the planes was wonderful! The Stuka siren, spot on! It was terrifying and i loved it!
The bombs while not as well, still done good.
Everything weapons and uniform wise matched up, and the ships too! Though i did catch the one "British destroyer" as a Friant class French cruiser. Though i respect the "use a real ship that was french, over a fake ship that was German"
It accurately showed how chaotic the entire thing was. When time was being all shifty i was very confused, but it added to the suspense, and when I learned after the fact that was intended, i loved that!
The movie itself was a true masterpiece and I wouldn't hesitate to watch it again or recommend it to others.
I also appreciate how the movie covers an event that many people are ignorant to. Hell, when i saw the first trailer I couldn't figure it out until i saw the title. Despite how much of a massive event this is, it is glossed over. Almost all of these troops recovered here became commandos and the pilots got ample experience to defend in the Battle of Britain. Showing people this event and enlightening them a little is something I appreciate.
My only gripe is how it glosses over the French. I wanted something on the French 40 thousand at least.
4614204
First off, he is worthy of respect for what he did, as are a lot of people.
Second off, consider the time-period. Most these people that deserve respect were racist fucks that are shitty people.
We respect the good they did, we don't honor them as saints.
If we go off of who is really evil, I'd say America wins that by sheer number of people murdered. We put the Ottomans, Nazi-Germany, and the USSR to shame with our extinction of a race that still goes on to this date. It's fucked up is what it is. Compred to that Churchill may as well be a saint
The film was incredible and did something different. I liked the lack of characterization or drawn out dialogue in favor of a raw and visceral experience of the event. It felt authentic, as if someone was really there with a camera for every moment, and the 70mm projection was glorious.
4614256
They show the French in the beginning and they have the one officer said that he will stay to help the French. For being Brit-centric I felt that was enough for the scope of the film.
4615479
I still wanted at least mention of the 40 thousand. Without the 40 thousand the entire evacuation would have failed despite all the civilians to the rescue.
The sound design was amazing. It felt, in the theater, that I was getting shot at, and it compounded the desperation that I felt. Not to mention the terrifying roar of the German stukas. I loved it.