What makes Dunkirk so special and enduring, though, is where its shows of strength and explosive devastation ultimately lead.
What makes Dunkirk so special and enduring, though, is where its shows of strength and explosive devastation ultimately lead. Its third act is the most quietly elegant and graceful section of filmmaking that Nolan has ever made, and also the most emotionally cathartic. By resisting his own tendency to overexplain and overstuff, the filmmaker achieves a poetic grace that is breathtakingly unexpected and startingly emotional.