Marie Claire Writer: 'Basic' Dunkirk AnExcuse For Men to Celebrate 'Maleness'
It's so "basic."
7.31.2017
2
What can we learn about WWII through the lens of a movie critque by a progressive, "Brooklyn-dwelling" Millennial?
Nothing.
In her official "review" of the movie, Dunkirk, Marie Claire's entertainment editor, Mehera Bonner, stated:
I Think 'Dunkirk' Was Mediocre at Best, and It's Not Because I'm Some Naive Woman Who Doesn't Get It
Actually, there are a few other reasons, but in a nutshell, that's exactly why she didn't get it.
The author then proceeded to render her professional film-critique, calling the movie "basic."
The thing is, I just don't think Dunkirk is a very good movie—if your definition of the word movie is "moving images held together by a plot." Like, yes: Dunkirk is very well-made. I felt like I was going to vomit during it, because that's how intense it was. And if your interests include riding a visual roller coaster called war, you will love it. But if you're a fan of films with plots, Dunkirk doesn't play that game. It's as if Christopher Nolan (sorry, "Nolan") plucked out the war scene from a script, and was like "let's just make this part extra long and call it a movie, lol."
One of the reasons the Marie Claire writer took umbrage with the movie? It's about men celebrating "maleness":
"The packaging of the film, the general vibe, and the tenor of the people applauding it just screams 'men-only'—and specifically seems to cater to a certain type of very pretentious man who would love nothing more than to explain to me why I'm wrong about not liking it. If this movie were a dating profile pic, it would be a swole guy at the gym who also goes to Harvard," Bonner wrote.
"I guess congratulations are in order for Nolan managing to unite high-brow male critics and very annoying people on Twitter under a common bromance, but to me, Dunkirk felt like an excuse for men to celebrate maleness—which apparently they don't get to do enough."
And then it came, the lament of "where's a film about the women of WWII?"
...if Nolan's entire purpose is breaking the established war movie mold and doing something different—why not make a movie about women in World War II? Or—because I know that will illicit cries of "ugh, not everything has to be about feminism, ugh!"—how about any other marginalized group? These stories shouldn't be relegated to indie films and Oscar season. It's up to giant powerhouse directors like Nolan to tell them, which is why Dunkirk feels so basic.
Thank you for your insights, Bonner. I'm sure the heroes of WWII and their descendants were worried about what you'd think.
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