Dunkirk (2017) Stoner Movie Review

So I finally got round to seeing Dunkirk at the IMAX. Did my usual and smoked a joint before heading on in. Arrived 15 minutes early and got the perfect seat. Right in the middle about halfway up near the centre, the g-spot for experiencing IMAX properly. I’ve been waiting a long time to see Dunkirk and the conditions were perfect. I was fucking ready to go.

Dunkirk (2017)

Director: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Interstellar)

Starring: Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies, The BFG), Cillian Murphy (Inception, 28 Days Later)

If You liked this movie, you may also like: Saving Private Ryan, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Interstellar.

IMDb Rating: 8.7/10 – #39 on Top 250

Rotten Tomatoes: 92%

My Rating: 9.5/10

The first and only thing that I can say about Dunkirk is that it is a masterpiece; a masterpiece of cinema and a master-class in building tension. As a piece of art, it is truly stunning to watch. If you haven’t seen it yet and you get the chance to see it in IMAX, I implore you to take that chance. This was the best cinematic experience of my life. At least I cant remember any better.

As a quick summary in case you don’t know, Dunkirk follows the story of the Allied soldiers at the French beach of Dunkirk. The German army completely surrounds them, slowly choking them as they try to make their evacuation by sea, back to Britain, in a pivotal moment of the war.

I was nicely high, very relaxed but very aware that this could get very intense and it did. For the first half hour my heart was beating out of its chest and it had my eyes absolutely gripped in its hands. The build up of tension is as I say, a masterclass and tied perfectly together with a stunning score by Hans Zimmer.

I always find when I’m watching movies high, that I can put my mind in the place of the characters so easily and it enables me to really feel like I am a part of the story. This seems to be the case especially with war films, it drags me in emotionally and I can sit firmly in its grasp. It’s amazing, it’s one of my favourite things to do. This in combination of one of the great story tellers of cinema, Christopher Nolan, made for one hell of an experience.

Dialogue in the film is used sparingly and works to good effect; I watched thinking that nothing more and nothing less could be said. What is also refreshing is how you are immediately thrown into the story. Nolan allows you to fill in the blanks yourself very quickly and you are very aware of the situation and danger the men are in without Nolan needlessly spoon-feeding you with filler story. In fact there is barely any character development at all. I could just about tell you some of the characters names but really, I know nothing of the characters and their background or what they have been through in the war. You don’t need to know. This tale is not about the story of any individual man, for me it is a tale about the nature of mankind. Of how the evil that mankind does to one another, flips their life into a coin toss. Those that survive and those that die. Those that turn desperation into good and that which forces desperate men to turn their backs on their morals.

Honestly, the only thing that I could think to criticise is Harry Styles. Not that he did anything wrong (more because there wasn’t much room for him to go wrong rather than it being an excellent performance from him) but it just dragged me out of the films reality. Every time I saw him I couldn’t help but think in my head, ‘Harry Styles? Really? What is Harry Styles doing in, not just any film, but a Christopher Nolan film.’ Not a major complaint by any means but it was an unwanted distraction for me and I personally thought another unknown young actor would have been a much better fit.

I believe we are in the process of watching one of the great artists of our generation at work here in Christopher Nolan and he has delivered to an unbelievable degree with Dunkirk. When you look at his catalogue of films, it’s hard to pick one out that falters even in the slightest. This is an iconic WWII movie and will be held as high as the likes of ‘Saving Private Ryan’. For me Dunkirk tops it.

There is nothing good that can come of war, only the death of good men that sacrificed themselves for a cause that should never have been fought over. Dunkirk is a stark testament and warning for us, a reminder of what war drags mankind into. Never forget.

Have you seen Dunkirk? If so, tell me what you thought by commenting below. I’d love to hear other people’s reactions.