The plot is very simple. But there's no doubt that the film's strengths are the technical stuff. The cinematography was great; the sound of the planes, bombs and the gunfire was great; and probably most impressive was the score by Hans Zimmer. The impact the music has on the film cannot be underestimated, especially when you consider how little dialogue there is. In a way it feels almost like an old silent movie where the score is helping to tell the story. As great as that is however, it's tad too loud and overpowering. The reason why the score has to play such a big part unfortunately is because, there was a lack of character development. The film wanted the viewer to care for the characters purely because of the terrible and scary situation they were in, rather than showing us their back stories or motivations for returning home. The only interesting characters in the movie were Mr Dawson and his son Peter. They were on one of the boats that left Britain on route to Dunkirk to help with the rescue. That part of the story was enjoyable, because we got to know their characters a bit more than most others. Shockingly, the only other character away from that part of the story, who was also likable is one of the young soldiers called Alex, played by Harry Styles. He had more lines and he delivered them convincingly. It was certainly more than just a cameo and he did a solid job.

Despite the amount of action, terror and peril; despite the amazing cast, epic score and beautiful cinematography; and a good director, Dunkirk it's a cold movie that is hard to connect with, emotionally.