While Inception and interstellar, though fascinating, were unrealistic and defied all rules of science, mathematics and common sense, Dunkirk, is Christopher Nolan's best movie yet while operating within the confines of reality. I recently watched it and I wanted to key my thoughts down and see what else people may have gleaned from the movie.
So, basically, Dunkirk is about 400,000 men, British and French, stranded in enemy territory in WW2. With the enemy closing in from all sides, the British are waiting for rescue to get back to Britain which is visible across the channel from Dunkirk Situated in France. That's basically it. However, the movie spans on much more and the unique Nolan mind-wrangling makes it more interesting than the simple premise stated above.
The movie begins with a staggered timeline. It follows the pilots of the Spitfires over a 40-minute long journey to Dunkirk while it follows the struggle of the 3 soldiers with the ships and in water in trying to escape from the beach for days. It even ends with a staggered timeline following the seamen and soldiers days after the incident while following the pilot only minutes after the climax. IMO, apart from trying to capture the chaos of war, this reflects on two things - 1. The British Navy and Army have existed for hundreds of years while airforce is relatively new. 2. The advent of new technology makes us dependent on it. We see how dive bombers keep killing thousands and sinking rescue destroyers and the soldiers keep asking "where is the airforce?".
Next, it focuses on the butterfly effect. Farrier's fuel gauge is broken and he is given the choice to turn back but he chooses to stay the course and ends up saving the entire rescue. If he had just chosen to turn back, all the planes he shot down wouldn't have been shot and the rescue may not have taken place or been as effective. Similarly, Tommy tagged "Gibson" along who ends up saving their lives by opening the door on the ship sinking because of the torpedo.
We also see that the massive and powerful destroyers are bombed by the enemy and are unable to rescue the stranded soldiers, a feat that is accomplished by civilian boats. This, to me, highlights the fact that it is not the military might of a country but the spirit of its people that wins wars - something Winston Churchill had alluded to in one of his addresses to the nation. Also, it tries to present that one should not underestimate small nations (like Britain represented by small boats) because they may accomplish feats that big nations (represented by the destroyers) may not be able to achieve. There is also another moment where the soldiers ask the civilians of the Moonstone saying "we let you down, didn't we?" reiterating the fact that how the military may have let the country down but the country did not let its soldiers down. We also see the spirit of the people when we see Dawson and his son heading fearlessly towards Dunkirk to rescue the stranded soldiers but the Shivering soldier, Fortis leader is afraid to go back and many times forces them to change course. We also see that civilians trust themselves more than war when Dawson doesn't wait for the navy but sets off on his own to do the exact same thing he was requisitioned for.
Next, there are elements of poetic justice in the movie. We see that Tommy, who stands up for "Gibson" in the Dutch boat is saved by the Moonstone but the Highlander who wants to sacrifice "Gibson" because of him being French and then Tommy who is not a member of the Highland regiment is forced to come up for air and is burnt alive - or poetically speaking burns in hell. Then again, Alex, who is pragmatic vs Tommy who is more moralistic in comparison face resolution of guilt at different times. While Tommy, who is more considerate and observant (remember he is the one who talks about the "grouping" of bullet holes), notices that the man handing out blankets on the train station is blind. When the old guy says, well done, he aks him "But all I did was survive", the old guy says " That's enough". His guilt and burden is resolved and he can peacefully sleep on the train. Alex, on the other hand because of his superficial nature, burning guilt and less regard for others, thinks that the guy is so ashamed of them that he can't even look them in the eyes. He faces this guilt all night, even reads hatred from the people in the headlines of the newspaper and cannot look at the people until he sees that they are applauding them not spitting in their faces.
Also, the movie seems to sort of touch on the fact that how one "good soul" is worth more than many average souls. It seems like good people keep taking the place of many average people in the movie. eg, "Gibson" saves Tommy, Alex and others from drowning but ends up drowning himself. "Farrier" saves the 300,000 British soldiers on the beach from the dive bombers and the army that has broken through but ends up being taken hostage by the Germans himself. It always seems like they take the place of many good people and God/ Heaven/Universe is content to exchange their one soul for the souls of many.
Then there is a glorification of war and our duty towards glorifying it. How young men are encouraged to die in futility many times in the name of war. We this aboard the Moonstone as Dawson, Peter and George set sail to rescue the stranded men. While Dawson and Peter save many men and fulfill an important mission, George only joins them because he wants to be a hero in the warzone and wants his photograph in the paper. He is just observing and trying to make himself useful but ends up dying before he could actually do something substantial. Also, there is a difference in how Dawson and Peter look at the Shivering Soldier, the leader of Fortis air trio. While Dawson tries to understand his pain and looks at him as a human, Peter looks at him as a coward for not wanting to die in the war. In the end, however, we see how the experience changes Peter, who gives clemency to Farrier by lying to him by saying that George will be fine. We see how Dawson approves of this. Again, a reflection on how war changes people. We also see the irony of Dawson sympathizing with the plight of the Shivering soldier who is afraid to go into war, kills George and is trying to prevent Dawson from rescuing soldiers when Dawson's own son died in the war. We can see this again when the camera shows Peter and Tommy, two people of almost the same age but one weighed down by the horrors of war and the other a lad just coming to terms with the disillusionment of what war is.
Then there is the contrast in the thinking of people in accordance with their ranks and situations. The soldiers are fighting on the Dutch boat and want to sacrifice the French then the non-Highlanders to survive. The admiral, on the other hand, wants to stay back to help the Fench at the end of the movie. We have seen earlier in the movie admiral saying "we should get our army back for the next battle which will happen in Britain" but he seems dejected when Britain seems dejected when Britain seems to hold off on destroyers saving them for the next battle. Again we see how the military can let its own people down and the civilians never do. We also see this spirit again when the civilians hail the arrival of the soldiers after all they have done is survived.
It also focuses on how the efforts of so many remain unsung in the war. Like when soldiers accuse Collins of not being there for them aka airforce not doing enough for them at the station while Dawson reassures them they know you were there for them. Again, how the country never lets its soldiers down.
Then there is the ending. Of how Farrier, instead of just ejecting from the plane, lands it down and gives it a proper patriotic send-off by burning it. Which goes to show how the people of a country don't just jump off from it when it goes down, they respect it to the end. It also reflects on the fact that though the main player may have gone down (Farrier) the many people who survived would, because of him carry on the legacy which lines up with the ending of the movie which says that even in Britain went down, the colonies abroad would carry on their legacy. ( I have some choice words regarding that legacy but that is not the point of the movie). Ans lastly hey show the Plane in flames but its structure still stands respectfully because of a good person like Farrier which showcases how the entire Europe burned in the World wars (of their own making) but the spirit and the structure of Europe survived it due to "good men."
In the entire movie the themes that are common. Wars are not won by armies but by the spirit of the people. Armies may let countries down, but the country never lets it down. Poetic justice finds its way. How war changes people and the duty of the citizens to laud the soldiers who choose to fight regardless of everything.
That's all that I can put together right now. I shall add more when I think of something else I forgot to jot down or someone brings up a good point. Let me know what you gleaned from it.
Submitted September 20, 2017 at 01:23AM by concernadian http://ift.tt/2xPSn8O
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