Caught it a second time (not IMAX this time round). Sound was perfectly fine. Every line of dialogue in the film was legible to me. I highly encourage anyone yet to catch this film / wanting a second viewing to carefully select where to experience this film.

IMAX viewing for me imo is worth it for Dunkirk, and then some. You don't fully appreciate the massive scale of production involved until you see it in the largest possible format.

The second viewing was crucial in helping me understand the three timelines and how they converged. Perhaps my single gripe with the first film was on the necessity of interweaving timelines with such intricacy. Some of this still holds true, but I can now see more merit to it. Second viewing also allowed for a far more profound understanding of the overall thematic setting that Nolan chose for this film.

Also, I managed to develop a deeper sense of appreciation for the script. Very few lines, but some real depth and profoundness to it, primarily for the 'sea' timeline. For some strange reason, whilst most Nolan films don't hold up as good from repeated viewings due to the artificially heavy exposition, Dunkirk is the first one in which the reverse actually happened. Much more subtlety, and an overall lighter touch.

I don't think this is a perfect film, but the quibbles are still very minor. I'm not a big fan of numerical rating systems as means to benchmark films, but if I had to choose, I'd give it a 9.5/10. Dunkirk joins Memento, Inception and TDK as my subjective favorites, but Dunkirk is arguably the best technically accomplished of all.

I loved some of the banality of it. Not of the film, but the events. It contextualizes how fucked up war is and how this kids are merely trying to survive amidst pure chaos. The nameless characters only add to this. A technical marvel. Might lack that sort of warmth I get from all of his movies, this one is more clinical. Dunkirk is another example of how Nolan is, most certainly, the most important filmmaker of big-scaled modern cinema.

Also Tom Hardy. Goddamn. This guy is truly special. Him and Rylance give this film a level of authenticity which makes it really unique.

I spent the first IMAX viewing being so overwhelmed by the cinematography that I think I missed a lot of the story (although I knew what was going on, I don't think I embraced the story as much as the visual experience of the cinematic wonder).

The second viewing was even better. Highly recommend at least two viewings, at a MINIMUM. Also the second time I watched it in your standard digital run-of-the-mill theater and although it was obviously created for IMAX, I still think it's a great and wondrous film, even if you're not able to see it in IMAX, so I hope people will continue to go see it, in any format. The story is great and it's worth watching no matter what.

Yeception wrote:With Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan has found the perfect balance between ambition and execution. Throughout Nolan's films, the conflict between execution and ambition has reigned on, finding harmony on only a few of Nolan's films, most elegantly in Inception and The Prestige. Dunkirk is ambitious in its visual story telling, non-linear timelines, continuous tension and short running time but also executed well in its ability to balance emotion, grit and tension without faltering for the entire 2 hours.

It's easy to say a movie has 'visual story telling' just because there is minimal dialogue but Nolan shows the craft required to execute such a concept with true visual poetry. The film takes a risk in not showing the enemies. They cannot be seen. They cannot be heard. The dread they induce is solely by the construction of destruction Nolan captures with the aid of the stunning shots and camerawork by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema and the eerie, off-kilter string-infused ticking score by Hans Zimmer.

Nolan has managed to create characters defined, not by their backstories, not by their idiosyncrasies, but purely as a product of their environment. In Dunkirk, Nolan does away with the pronounced sentimentality that he used in Interstellar. There's no great speeches given by characters. There's no flagrant moments of heroism. Instead, there are small, poignant moments, reflecting larger ideas of how one's convictions can change through survival in adversity.

Perfectly put.

10/10

I can't be the only person who thought that Nolan added elements from disaster movie in here, am I?

I'll be posting a review on the front page over the weekend. But to add my rating to the NFometer, I'll give a brief reaction.

I found Dunkirk to be unrelenting and incredible. It's a visceral exercise in cinema that often left me short of breath, or sending my heart racing. It is truly something to behold in IMAX. An experience meant for the large screen. 93/100 A.

94/100
Nolan's most perfect and impressive film. I prefer some of his films over this but it might be his finest hour.

Saw the movie last night.

It is a terrific film, almost felt like a horror movie.

It's an art film and the most drastically different Nolan has done in years.

10/10.

Saw the movie today.... TWICE
Detailed review is coming later. All I can say is, this will be in my top 2 of Nolan's filmography if not the best Nolan movie. And also, one of the best war movie ever.
My Rating: 9.5/10

10/10 for me. I'll wait for a second viewing to expand upon my thoughts. But yeah, this was an absolutely perfect cinematic experience. Can't wait to go back.