Dunkirk

WWII's “Miracle of Dunkirk” involved the epic rescue of more than 338,000 Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, France—the biggest evacuation in military history. From May 27 to June 4, 1940, the Allies were surrounded on all sides by German forces while the Luftwaffe buzzed and bombarded the beaches. Since the water was too shallow for destroyers to get close, brave British civilians volunteered to cross the English Channel in everything from fishing boats to barges to retrieve the troops—all while under constant bombardment. Director Christopher Nolan tells this suspenseful survival story from three meticulously interwoven perspectives. The terrified men on the beach are personified by Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), a fellow soldier (Aneurin Barnard), and an infantryman (Harry Styles) who are in a desperate fight to make it off the mole—an eight-foot-wide pier overseen by Naval Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh). The aerial perspective is provided by Farrier (Tom Hardy), a senior RAF Spitfire fighter pilot who has only one hour to take out Nazi planes, providing cover for the men on the ground and in the water. And sailing from England, a small wooden yacht is resolutely piloted by Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance) with his teenage son Peter (Tom Glynn-Carney) and tagalong pal George (Barry Keoghan). With minimal dialogue and the elimination of backstories, Nolan relies on cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema's visual imagery coupled with Hans Zimmer's music to propel the taut, tension-filled visceral drama, ultimately delivering the most intense and immersive cinematic war story since Saving Private Ryan. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Sea” (37 min.), “Creation” (22 min.), “Air” (19 min.), “Land” (17 min.), and “Conclusion” (15 min.), and a “Coast Guard Promo” (2 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for one of 2017's best films.] (S. Granger)