Dunkirk

Quite possibly the hardest of reviews to write. From the opening, till the last few scenes, Dunkirk will leave you emotionally battered. I have never experienced a film quite like it. The continuous ticking score amplifies the visual tension, that Nolan manages to push out for virtually the entire films' runtime. There is not one point where I found myself looking at the time or wondering how far in to the film I was. You will be glued to the screen, for its entirety. The big screen names are mere puppets, serving the storyline. The likes of Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, to name but a few, play their part and nothing more. In any other film, this would be a negative point, but in Dunkirk, it works, perfectly. Picture and sound are vital to the experience of the film. I saw it IMAX digital. I would have loved to see it in genuine 70mm, but due to location, I had to settle for 2nd best (as a friend calls it "lieMAX"). The high pitch screaming of the Ju 87 dive bombers as the swoop on the swarms of servicemen are ear-piercing. As is the occasional firing of weapons. There is little dialogue and upon research, Nolan looked into silent films for pointers on how to create emotions using visuals alone. Dunkirk is like no war film you have ever seen. You simply cannot compare it to 'Saving Private Ryan' or 'The Thin Red Line'. They are two great examples of World War II, but they are more about conflict. This is about a completely different side of war. It's about the anguish, pain and suffering that ultimately is about retreating. The film is a 12A and my initiall concerns were that we would get a group of youngsters, acting up in the auditorium, shouting, chatting and playing with their phones. Alas, I was wrong. This was one of, if not THE, greatest cinema experience of my life. The entire audience seemed, like me, to be encapsulated with what was unfolding in front of us. Nolan could have made it a 15 and littered it with death and blood and guts, but again, this is not that kind of film. The 12A cert, means that youngsters can see it and realise what these men went through. I have a rule that a film doesn't deserve a full score unless you can think of zero faults. I have several films from over the years that I have been fascinated with the medium, that have been truly worthy of that elusive 5 stars (or 10, depending on which format you use). Films like LA Confidential, Alien, Blade Runner, Jaws and I Saw the Devil (I do have more) and Dunkirk will firmly take a place amongst these titles. Certainly the greatest film of the year and will go on to become quite possibly one of the greatest films of all time.