Plane movie 1: Dunkirk

On the way back to Japan I watched something a bit more solemn – and the film I wanted to watch last time I was on the way to Japan too. War flick Dunkirk, following some human stories of the evacuation in 1940.

This isn’t a particularly easy film to watch, nor a satisfying story, as it just follows several characters during the chaos of a panicked evacuation. The only possible triumph is escaping from a far stronger threat alive, though of course everyone knows how the war ended five years later. The narrative essentially follows various characters involved in the evacuation on sea, land and air, with the emotional keypins being the piermaster commanding everything, a pleasure boat owner doing his bit and his son having horrific formative experiences on the journey. An RAF pilot is also heroic in the face of adversity, and there are a number of scenes in sinking boats that are horrible reminders of the consequences of war, but ultimately it’s more of a fragmented overview than a conventional story, and probably stronger for it.

There are a number of familiar faces and some less familiar ones. Kenneth Branagh is a strong patriarchal figure, sometimes kindly, sometimes stoic and sometimes having to be callous. Mark Rylance is probably the standout performer, with the perfect everyman presence for this film. I struggled to remember where I recognised him from – it was partly Bridge of Spies, but mostly The BFG. Then I don’t know whether I should be ashamed or proud to admit I didn’t recognise Harry Styles one bit. He did a fine enough job, not standing out as a poor actor or making me want to follow his acting career, but his character was perhaps the least compelling of the film’s major cast.

Well-made, mature, respectful historically and well-acted, this was an excellent addition to the canon of war films. And like so many other war films, it is moving rather than entertaining.