One of the most anticipated films of 2017, produced by the astonishing Christopher Nolan (‘Interstellar’, ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘Inception’), is about to hit our screens on Friday.
We were lucky enough to be invited to an IMAX screening in London, which boasts the largest 70mm screen in Europe. Starring Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Sir Mark Rylance and our lovely Harry Styles in his debut acting performance, ‘Dunkirk’ is based on real events from the World War II evacuation which left 400,000 British soldiers awaiting rescue on the Beach of Dunkirk.
For just under two hours, you are immersed in this dark and traumatic tale filled with tension and suspense from beginning to end. Relying on minimal dialogue, the cinematography and the sensational score written by the infamous Hans Zimmer manage to capture the raw emotion and terror of these courageous soldiers.
It’s a story of survival, which intercuts over three different stories and time frames; by land, sea and air. We follow a young soldier named Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) on the land for a week on his mission to get home; a civilian rescue mission, led by boatman Dawson (Mark Rylance) for a day; and an RAF pilot played by Tom Hardy for an hour.
It’s a captivating and intensifying thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. Although exceptionally violent, it’s not at all gory but still carries the shock-factor due to the desperation and emotion portrayed by the characters.
So how much do you get to see of Harry Styles? Much more than I expected. He plays a pretty vital and steady role throughout, as one of the British soldiers trying to escape Dunkirk beach. His performance could easily be mistaken for an unknown, young, aspiring actor trying to break into the industry. I will be interested to see if this is the start of a new direction for him (pun unintended).
‘Dunkirk’ is undoubtedly Christopher Nolan’s most momentous work to date. Stripped back to a simple but powerful masterpiece, you are thrown into the heart of the trauma and the eyes of the characters. This isn’t about heroes or enemies; it’s the story of a battle of bravery, courage and survival.
The soundscape and cinematography are heavily important in this movie, and it really was made to be viewed in an IMAX screen to enhance and dramatise the experience. I would strongly recommend viewing it this way, if you can.
‘Dunkirk’ is out in cinemas on Friday 21st July. Let us know what you think in the comments section below when you’ve seen it (and I promise that you are about to have your minds blown).
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