Dunkirk

The evacuation of Allied soldiers in the harbor city of Dunkirk, France was an amazing feat of military strategy. It was a plot point in Atonement and it's the plot of Christopher Nolan's latest epic, Dunkirk.

Nolan's screenplay divides the story from three fronts. They unfold in a non-linear fashion and without the aid of extraneous dialogue. The plot is pretty comprehensible except for reasons I'll get to later on.

1. THE MOLE. Privates Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) and Alex (Harry Styles) are among the many British troops stranded in Dunkirk. Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh) is supervising the evacuation on the stone pier, the "mole" of the title. U-Boats and the German Air Force surround them. They need help.

2. THE SEA. Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance) is here to help. He's one of many mariners who've set out to deliver the troops their salvation. His son, Peter (Tom Glynn-Carney), doesn't think they have a chance and teenage George (Barry Keoghan) is here for the ride. They save a shell-shocked soldier (Cilian Murphy), who's really desperate not to go back to Dunkirk.

3. THE AIR. British pilots Farrier (Tom Hardy) and Collins (Jack Lowden) are here to provide some air support. They'll have to do what it takes to make sure the evacuation succeeds.

The film runs at a surprisingly short 106 minutes considering its scale. But it makes every minute count. Its opening scene shows the eerie desolation of Dunkirk as photographed by Hoyte van Hoytema. The production design is also praiseworthy. The ocean scenes are also spectacularly filmed. Its sound team follows tense silence with piercing sound effects. It also helps that editor Lee Smith paces the action wonderfully. And finally, Hans Zimmer's score is another memorable soundtrack.

What gripes exist? There's one and that's the non-linear structure. It can really throw off viewers as they try to piece together the plot. You really don't know how the pieces go together until the end. I'll give you a hint: "The Air" storyline unfolds in an hour before the ships come in. You might end up drawing your own wild conclusions before the finale. I know I did. Fortunately, as with Nolan's other works, this is a problem that can be fixed with repeat viewings.

Which performances stood out in the shifting crowd? Rylance as Mr. Dawson was the best of the bunch. He has to convince his son and himself that going to Dunkirk is the right thing. Another highlight was Gibson (Aneurin Barnard), a British private with a secret. Both Hardy and Lowden were also great in their fronts. There's also a welcome cameo from Michael Caine as the radio communicator to Farrier and Collins.

Dunkirk is another movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen. You can see it regular, IMAX or on 70 MM film if you live close enough. Whatever format you choose will do the spectacle just right. It's both an outstanding war movie and an outstanding summer blockbuster. It truly feels like an event movie rather than an every week occurrence. But see it in on the big screen.