Wednesday 20 December 2017

Movie Review: Darkest Hour

THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS.


It is no surprise to see that more filmmakers are getting their hands on the camera, just to tell a story that is heard and told many times over the decades. Such telling of stories like Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk which is told in several perspectives of the people on the beach coast, here we are presented with a fine-tuned film of the man who was instrumental and credited for this idea of Operation Dynamo, none other than then British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.

Darkest Hour may not deliver a story that is refreshing in terms of learning something interesting like other wartime films or maybe United States cover up on sensitive issues, but still it remained a wonderful piece in emphasising Churchill’s early struggle with the people he had on board and how he ensured the heart of the nation is kept and safe from the increasing power of the Nazi Germany. We were introduced in the film of the early 1940s in which several nations have fallen and the cabinet were unpleased with the former Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain not only lost the position but also his pride in which the party needed someone who is willing to take on such difficult position at the wartime and could pleased the opposition, hence Churchill is in the picture.

As Churchill comes into the picture of the audience’s eyes, we then watched the incoming Prime Minister’s die-hard habits and his personality which made him a somewhat mockery for others to joke about. Poor Winston – a man who is capable of captivating people with his beautiful words, found himself to be somewhat an unrelated man that no nation would take him seriously. Mumbling, stubborn and “romantic idealist”, these were what came to the back of my mind when I see the public and the cabinet talked or thought about Churchill. Mind you, what I am saying is that Churchill’s character is someone whom most people in our today’s generation could relate in terms of how he struggled as he wakes up every morning and tries to get some sleep; always thinking of the nation and hopefully getting people to accept his idea which has a lower risk of making Great Britain a fool, a puppet for Hitler and Mussolini to play.

Although Darkest Hour seems like a repeatable history lesson your teacher always tend to talk about in secondary school, still Gary Oldman’s impressionable acting of Winston Churchill made the film a delight. I liked how the film focuses on the main point in which reminds you of why Churchill was successful at the beginning of World War Two as he constantly reminds people to never surrender and continue fighting on as what you seen in the Dunkirk operation. The film itself did not stray far and had me on the hook as it focuses on Churchill’s inner struggle within his people, again reminding you everyone has something to fight for and lose for.

With that, I would not say that Darkest Hour is one of those best wartime, historical films I have seen. However, if I am asked to leave a bet for the major awards season happening now, I would not mind leaving a dime on his Oldman’s potential win for his formidable performance as Churchill. You have my word.

Ratings: 6.5/10

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