Is it just us, or is there something distinctly un-Christopher Nolan like about Dunkirk, his long-awaited follow-up to 2014’s Interstellar? Yes it is a sweeping drama of epic proportions, depicting the mass evacuation of Allied soldiers from the shores of Northern France during World War Two, but war drama doesn’t quite seem to fit into his non-linear, suspense-laden oeuvre.
From the looks of this first trailer, however, Nolan has executed the story in his own inimitable style, with Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy teaming up with the director once again for the first time since his Batman trilogy closer The Dark Knight Rises.
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Muted colours make way for moments of brief vibrancy as a soldier stares out over the expanse of the beach that is yet to become the scene of unmitigated horror. The white, blue and beige colour palette evoke the visual style of Nolan’s 2010 film Inception.
The cast list also includes a fresh-faced, short-haired Harry Styles of One Direction fame, whose debut performance many will be interested to see and probably keen to critique. The singer-turned-actor stars alongside heavyweights Kenneth Branagh and Mark Rylance, so he has his work cut out for him as far as being the standout performer goes.
Set for a 21 July bow, Dunkirk looks set to be a suitably action-packed and dramatic account of a miraculous escape from tyranny, but will it bring enough of the intrigue that has worked so well for the director in the past?
**Update – 05/07/2017**
The third and final Dunkirk trailer has been released, and it contains plenty of gorgeous new footage. Check it out below…
