When Christopher Nolan‘s Dunkirk hit cinemas last summer, it was billed as the rare visual feast that packed an artistic punch. This was meant to be Nolan’s passion project: a technically-dazzling film that dropped modern filmgoers into the hell of one of World War II’s most momentous episodes. Cinemas offered special 70mm and IMAX screenings of the film. The idea was that if you had to see Dunkirk, then you had to see it in the glorious technical specifications it was meant to be seen in. It’s true that some films lose their wonder when they’re shown on the small screen, and still more Oscar-bait movies turn out to be duds on reappraisal. So now that Dunkirk has made its way to HBO, is it still worth a watch?
Believe me when I say, “Absolutely.”
Dunkirk is indeed a visual masterpiece that uses overlapping timelines, gorgeous special effects, and Oscar-winning sound editing and mixing to make you feel the ever-mounting tension that overtook the British soldiers trapped on the beach at Dunkirk. The film is so meticulously constructed that you can totally forget that Operation Dynamo actually wound up succeeding. It’s a technically perfect sensory experience.
Dunkirk is also a really good movie. Nolan uses three different timelines to present three key parts of the battle: the poor souls trapped on the ground, the brave civilians who volunteer their small boats to mount a daring rescue mission, and the flying aces who provide cover above. Now, all three of these storylines are full of grim scenes of horror brought to life by Nolan’s technical prowess, but what sells all them are the actors onscreen. Dunkirk‘s ensemble cast of actors — Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Fionn Whitehead, Anuerin Barnard, Barry Keoghan, Tom Glynn-Carney, and yes, even Harry Styles — help pull us emotionally into the loud and fiery terror of the battle. If we couldn’t see the story through these characters’ eyes, it’s likely that Nolan’s bracing film wouldn’t be much more than a cunning, but cold, spectacle.
Don’t believe what you’ve been told: Dunkirk still works on the small screen. It works in part because it’s so technically good that its exquisitely composed shots and terrifying score still work on a smaller scale. It works because the cast sells the horror of confronting war. It works because Nolan pulled off a visceral masterpiece that deserves to be seen no matter the aspect ratio.
Dunkirk premieres on HBO tonight at 8 PM ET.
Where to Stream Dunkirk
Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire and France are surrounded by the German Army, and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.
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