Dunkirk is quietly Nolan's most ambitious film yet. Brilliantly blending his modern style with old-school filmmaking of the war epic, he breathes new life into his quirks that were beginning to feel old hat. Nolan avoids the pitfalls that have plagued his most recent works and delivers a harrowing experience quite unlike any contemporary war films or any of Nolan's other films. Keep in mind, this is clearly a Nolan film; his idiosyncrasies are evident in nearly every frame. By shifting away from self-important characters and pompous monologue, his cryptic characters finally come off as truly human, no matter how small their role is. More importantly, the setpieces are simultaneously horrifying and enthralling, taking audiences on a journey through war.
The IMAX cinematography is utterly stunning, and the sound in it makes it feel like planes are actually flying above or shots are firing right behind you. It has a similar issue to Interstellar that sometimes the mix prevents one from hearing the dialogue, but this aspect fits the disorienting nature of war Nolan is trying to capture. When it comes down to it, seeing this film in IMAX should be one's top priority, as it utilizes the format better than any other film I've seen.
The acting ranges from servicable to excellent, but the actors are not the star of the film here; it's the direction. No one stands out as bad, and when trying to pick a highlight, it proves impossible with how even-handed it all is. If one had to find a complaint with the entire enterprise, it's the land segments are slightly less engaging than the sea and air segments, but those segments are still exciting in their own right. The score by Zimmer is also good, but doesn't stand out as much as they have in Nolan's past works.
Dunkirk is easily Nolan's best film in nine years, with his ambition finally being accomplished in nearly every way. It's a stunning achievement; a brutal assault on the senses that puts audiences right into World War II and how petrifying it was. One can hope Nolan will continue with this type of "experience" film with his upcoming projects, but if he doesn't, Dunkirk will still exist as the best war films and best summer blockbusters in years. A larger achievement than almost anyone could've expected, and one that I cannot wait to revisit as soon as possible.
