Dunkirk (2017) ****

The Battle of Dunkirk is probably way more famous in the U.K. than here in the U.S. It predates the American entry into WWII, and it was a defeat for the Allies. Here in the U.S,, we only like to think about winning! For the Brits, Dunkirk marked a low point in the war, but it also stands as an example of British resolve. Driven to the sea by the Germans, hundreds of thousands of British and French troops were trapped on the French coast, waiting to be evacuated to England. The British navy mustered every ship they could, including civilian vessels, across the English channel to save their men.

“Dunkirk” tells the story of that evacuation from 3 different perspectives, with 3 different timelines. That may sound confusing, but it really isn't when you watch it. Fionn Whitehead plays an infantry soldier among many others on the beach, trying to survive German bombing runs and get a spot on a ship home. His story plays out over several days. Mark Rylance plays an English civilian who volunteers himself and his boat to cross the channel and help ferry soldiers across. His tale plays out over a single day. Then there's Tom Hardy, who plays a fighter pilot sent to harass the German planes who are slaughtering his countrymen. He does this for as long as he has fuel, which is only a couple of hours.

I don't know how realistic the battle scenes in “Dunkirk” are, but they certainly look realistic. Director Christopher Nolan really puts you into the action. You can really feel the helplessness of the soldiers on the beach as they duck down during each German bombing run. You can feel the panic of the men trapped in a sinking ship. The air battle sequences put you right in the cockpit, looking through the cross-hairs at enemy planes.

Likewise, the characters in the film are allowed to express the full range of human response to the battle. If this film had been made in the 1950's, it would have portrayed all the Allied fighters as heroes. Had it been made in the late 60's or the 70's, it may have been more of an anti-war film, portraying them as either victims or villains. “Dunkirk” allows its characters to react to the situation like real human beings. Hardy's fighter pilot and Rylance's boat captain are true heroes. The foot soldiers on the beach, who are in the most helpless and terrifying situation, are simply doing the best they can. Sometimes they demonstrate bravery, sometimes cowardice. They can be magnanimous, but they also sometimes cheat to try to get themselves a ride home. They do some things that they will never be proud of, and that's a reality of war.

Making a film about a historical event is always fraught, as there is reality to compare it to. I'm usually leery of historical films, as a movie has a way of replacing historical facts with drama. In this case, there is also a generally well-regarded 1958 film with the same name. Nonetheless, Christopher Nolan's “Dunkirk” seems to hold its own. It's a gripping and ultimately poignant war story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

4 stars out of 5