In the Dunkirk film, Christopher presents several facts about WWII that claimed the lives of several American soldiers on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The film presents substantive ideas about the occurrence of the Second World War that was very devastating, as it claimed several lives of soldiers. Although Christopher does not present these events in chronological order, the film depicts essential information that we can use to understand the legends of the Second World War.
The film’s story and its plot do not match chronologically. Notably, the author narrates potential events that transpired during the Second World War in a two-hour film. Due to the strict time of the film, the author is forced to apply a complex plot to present the key ideas needed by the audience. Even though the story is openly introduced at the film’s start, it is difficult to follow and decipher its content. For instance, the film presents dead soldiers at some seconds when we cannot see the events before their demise (Trevisan and Porta 33). Again, we see some soldiers being lifted out of the ocean’s shores when we cannot tell what exactly transpired; could their ferry have capsized? Did their adversaries shoot them? Therefore, Nolan complicates the film’s content by interchanging events of the war.
The story is intended to present consistent ideas about the events during the war in an understandable manner. However, the plot is entirely out of the lane as it interchanges the events, and they no longer appear in chronological order, hindering the audience from comprehending it (Trevisan and Porta 35). The significance of the plot in this film is to create suspense for the audience and enhance its attractiveness. For instance, we are compelled to watch the film even further when we encounter dead soldiers lifted from the ocean. We are uncertain about what could have occurred before their demise; hence, the only way to get answers is to continue to watch the film (Trevisan and Porta 34).
However, I think the film would be more interesting if the events were arranged in chronological order. Notably, the audience can connect the events chronologically and decipher the overall content and objective of the film (Trevisan and Porta 36). Hence, although the film’s plot is set to create suspense and attract the audience, making it consistent would also be more attractive to the audience.
Nolan presents Tommy as the protagonist in the film, appearing from its beginning to the end. As evident at the film’s beginning, he is shown as the only English soldier who withstood Germany’s attack (Trevisan and Porta 37). Other major characters of the film include Gibson, Alex, and Captain Bolton. Tommy is among the flat character in the film as he represents one of the active American soldiers in the rivalry against the Germans. Gibson is a round character who becomes a protagonist of the war by masquerading as an English soldier to escape from Dunkirk on an American destroyer (Trevisan and Porta 38).
Accordingly, Alex is a young American soldier who is a flat character. He is among the bravest characters in the film as he is a little hot-headed and suspicious of Gibson, a French soldier. Finally, Captain Bolton is a round character who struggles to evacuate the beach (Trevisan and Porta 40). Notably, the antagonist in the film is the German soldiers who preside over the Second World War. Consequently, all these characters are significant in the film, as they occasionally contribute to its flow.
Conclusively, characters are very significant as they facilitate the message intended by the author. Likewise, Nolan employs Captain Bolton as the outstanding character who is instrumental in saving fellow soldiers as he evacuates the beach. He ensures the casualties are effectively medicated and the dead are evacuated from the shores of the ocean. The scene that stood out for me for Captain Bolton is when he guides the collection of floating bodies of dead soldiers on the ocean’s shores. It shows bravery and concern for his fellow soldiers in the war.
Work Cited
Trevisan, Michele, and Porta, Leonardo. “Puzzles films: a narrative não linear de Christopher Nolan no filme Dunkirk.” Verso e Reverso 33.82 (2019): 33-48. Web.