The German troops cut off the British and the French forces forcing them to the coast with their backs to the sea. Four hundred thousand men were trapped to either die on the beach or drown in the sea. The Brits were almost close enough to see their homeland but doomed with no way to escape. This was one of the battles in WWII years before Pearl Harbor and the United States entered the war.
Christopher Nolan, the director, filmed the project using large cameras and for the best possible viewing, IMax is the way to see it. It seems crazy to say it beautiful but it was with one amazing image after another. There is little to no character development, little to no dialogue which was very difficult to hear and understand due to the music and thick British accents. There is death but no blood or gore. One desperate soldier walks into the sea to commit suicide during a lull in the bombing.
There are heroes, bravery, friendship, courage, and hope for freedom all understood without a word. Nolan creates the story by creating images on the screen.
My recommendation is an enthusiastic * * * * * . Academy Award winner? Well at least a nomination !
TalesAlongTheWay 
I had planned to see the movie; but after your great thumbs up, I know it a must-see. A friend of mine had just gotten his commission from Sand Hurst and was sent to France. Shortly after he found himself on the beach at Dunkirk. Missed the boats. Spend the rest of the war as a POW.
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Don, I don’t think you will regret the cost of the ticket! And your friend’s story. I am sure he had horrible memories!
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Over 300K and almost a third were French retreating too.
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Sorry , of course the French troops were there working to protect their homeland from Axis invasion. Thanks for the shout out!
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I updated my post to reflect your correction. What do you think?
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It is nice of you, thanks
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However good the film it cannot portray the reality of the individual experience. My father was there and survived. He told me that he had waded in line to a ship and once aboard it was attacked by German aircraft which dropped a bomb down the funnel and exploded. They had to abandon ship once again in the waters they had to wade back to shore to await another vessel for evacuation. In the meantime Stuka aircraft were bombing/strafing the men onshore and my dad said he could see the rear gunner gritting his teeth as he fired down on them. They were sitting ducks on the shore. It was a miracle that he got back to England and he was to return with D-day. A note on Dunkirk, this is on the French side but actually this beach battle stretched into Belgium as far as De Panne where my father arrived after having been pushed back from Belgium. The British Expeditionary Force found themselves alone to fight the German army in Belgium after the Belgian forces capitulated and they were pushed back to the coast. A book that gives a good account is titled “The Sands of Dunkirk” by Richard Collier (1961).
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Oh Mike, what an amazing story of courage and unselfishness! Thank you ever so much for sharing. You, of course, are right we can never know the horrors of war because brave men like your dad fought in our place. What a great relationship you had with your dad for him to share this with you. I am touched you shared with me!
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Interesting to read your review, thank you x
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