Grade: B
Writer/director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia, Interstellar, the Christian Bale Batman trilogy) has crafted a compelling and absorbing war movie with Dunkirk, which chronicles the evacuation of British and French soldiers from the beach at Dunkirk during World War 2 in May/June 1940. It is fast; the hour and 46 minute running time flies by, and due to the grey/grainy colors and cinematography, it has a timeless feel to it. It looks like it could have been made in the 70s or 80s, as opposed to 2017. It cuts right to the chase, with no exposition or backstory on the characters – in fact, we never learn several of their names. It is a snapshot of a very specific moment in the war. Aside from Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, and Cillian Murphy, I didn’t recognize any other actors. Not knowing much of who’s who makes certain parts confusing and disorienting, and I imagine that’s what it can be like in the heat of battle.
If this review is shorter than usual for me, it’s true to the vibe I got from this film. Dunkirk is efficient and gripping, with a beautiful score and no fluff.
Grade: B
Film Reviews by Mark 
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