Mark Rylance praises Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk as “simple and powerful”

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

It's fun to see a Christopher Nolan project take shape, no matter what genre Nolan tackles or which cast he assembles, the degree of interest from just about every one of us is almost always very high. Nolan's latest, DUNKIRK, tells the story of Operation Dynamo, in which Allied soldiers were evacuated from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk after being cut off and surrounded by the German army during the Battle of France. No doubt an epic story which, when combined with Nolan's touch, IMAX cameras, and a boatload of cash, will turn into an equally epic movie. Among the cast of DUNKIRK is Mark Rylance who recently spoke with Empire about Christopher Nolan's work on DUNKIRK so far.

Chris is the most serious and interesting filmmaker. Every great filmmaker at some moment makes a war film. But Chris’ script-writing is so brilliant that I think he has the potential to make a very, very powerful and simple, pure war film about a miraculous loss. I think it has the potential to be just a marvelous film.

As Nolan's last few projects couldn't exactly be called simple, it will be interesting, and perhaps refreshing, to see him tackle a straight-forward story with DUNKIRK. That doesn't mean that things won't be incredibly tense however as Rylance went on to describe how the film will likely kick off, with a bang.

With some of those old war films you used to get a lot of build-up, you play the guessing game: who’s going to die and who’s going to live. This one has none of that. It’s just BANG! Straight into the middle of a desperate situation.

DUNKIRK is set for a July 21, 2017 release.