Dunkirk

Dunkirk (2017)

Starring Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Tom Glynn-Carney, Barry Keoghan, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, James D'Arcy, Cillian Murphy, and Kenneth Branagh

Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by Christopher Nolan

Summary (in 500 words or less):  A look at the land, sea, and air military actions taking place in Dunkirk, France, during an epic battle during WWII between the Allied and Nazi forces.

• There's a visceral excitement to Dunkirk as director-writer Christopher Nolan drops the viewers right into the action from the film's outset leaving behind backstories about characters and instead focusing the flick's entire 100-minute runtime on the action taking place as Allied troops retreat to coastal Dunkirk, France, while they await to be rescued as the Germans close in on them.
• The fact that Nolan isn't really in the running for the Best Director Oscar (despite being nominated) is shocking to me.  While it's true Nolan's film isn't so much about characters, what he's done here visually and cinematically is stunning. 
• The men on the beaches of Dunkirk fought together and died together and Nolan's desire to treat them as a mass of men instead of singular individuals is an interesting concept.  While it's not something we're used to as a cinematic audience, the film still manages to carry emotional weight which is a triumph.
• Nolan puzzle pieces the land, sea, and air battles together, eschewing a linear timeline which does at times prove a bit confusing, but in the end works as the pieces fit together and we see the whole picture he was trying to create.
• Ultimately, the film doesn't quite succeed at showcasing the MASSIVE battle and rescue attempt that happened at Dunkirk -- in fact, fellow Oscar nominee Darkest Hour did a better job at that -- but Nolan's film is still a great visceral piece of cinema...and this is coming from someone who thinks Nolan has been a bit overrated prior to this.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+