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Why Dunkirk is a different type of war film

———SPOILERS——–

Majority of war films have sad disturbing imagery that show the truth of war and life in the trenches but with quite a few of these films there is this sense of patriotism, brotherhood and sacrifice. These are the themes which pull on our heart strings and make us more understanding of the characters motives.

Then there’s Dunkirk…

Dunkirk is more then just a movie by Christopher Nolan starring Harry Styles, it is technically incredible to watch with multiple sequences that make you feel genuine fear. However I believe it’s the movies core message that makes it so special.

I would compare Dunkirk to Apocalypse Now not because they are similar films but because of how they explore the darker more sinister aspects of war that are rarely spoken about. Over here in England I remember multiple people being appalled by its lack of patriotism when I came out of the screening. I felt quite the opposite and thought this new prospective was a breath of fresh air into a genre that can be seen as tiresome to some. This idea that it was every man for themselves and that the government could turn their back on thier own men was new and original. It showed how when we are in such heavy situations we cannot help but let our survival instincts take over even if they do not align with our own moral code. Yet as the storm calms we see that we do abide by that code which is shown by Kenneth Branagh staying behind to help the French allies.

Cillian Murphy’s character of a soldier suffering from PTSD shows how traumatising the war is and while it may not be the first time this has been talked about or shown on film it still manages to remind you of the damage war does. The film pushes you in your ability to empathize and sympathize as Cillian does murder sailor boy George, even though it’s not deliberate is the act itself forgivable because he is a man who’s suffering. When a film pushes you to ask such deep questions that is when it has truly made an impact.

Tom Hardy shows the sacrifice of war a man who very easily could have turned around and safed himself but insted chose to risk his life to save people whom he didn’t know. Hardy represents all the unknown soldiers, forgotten heroes who made sacrifices not for glory or fame but for the future. At the end of the film he is captured and we know none will save him and those soldiers he saved won’t ever know who he is but it’s the fact that he did it which means the most.

Harry Styles is the survivor, a soldier who did what he had to do in order to live but he is not a man without a conscious. At the end of the film on the train he talk about (and I’m paraphrasing) “we just survived” and him being ashamed of the man for not looking at him because he feels guilty for his actions and wishes he did more.

By Dunkirk not focusing on one character it is able to say more despite it taking place in such a short time pireod. It’s a film that is a cinematic experience from the 70mm viewing to the realism of every noise. I believe that whilst Dunkirk does challenge difficult subject matters it does still show the patriotism, brotherhood and sacrifice while it may not be so plain to see it is there.

Dunkirk is different type of war film as it has a balance its able to display the different people in the war but also able to show both the positives and negatives of the war.

“Horror”

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Art by: amir_foo

I finally watched "Generation War" for the first time, because I heard it's the german "Band of Brothers" and now I can't stop thinking about it.

I wish I could talk about it with someone who has a non-german perspective on it.