Spoiler warning: The Germans lost World War II.
First, a little background perspective on the reviewer. I will tell you I am a lover of history and I have long considered Churchill to be the greatest leader in modern times. I have long admired Dr. Larry Arnn, who was the official historian for the Churchill biography.
That said, I know how Hollywood treats history. Apollo 13, there was no yelling or bickering. Imitation Game, the only thing true in that movie was his name, the machine, and the fact he was a homosexual which had absolutely nothing to do with his work.
So I had a bit of dread about Darkest Hour. And I am very, very pleased with the movie. Dr. Larry Arnn had a hand in the movie, and he is happy with the finished product.
Like George Washington in 1776, Churchill was handed the job of defeating the worlds most powerful military with a ragtag group of misfits. The movie starts at the point of Neville Chamberlain's resignation and you follow the events of 1940 as Churchill deals with the entire British Army being surrounded at Dunkirk about to be wiped out and everyone knowing soon after the German invasion of Great Britain will begin. Europe is lost, and the US offers little help. 1940 was truly the darkest hour for Great Britain.
The move dovetails perfectly with the movie Dunkirk, almost as if they collaborated. In Dunkirk you see everything from the soldiers perspective. In Darkest Hour you see everything from the perspective of the PM.
The movie does a fantastic job of showing Churchill the man. His temper, humor, resolve, his love of drink and cigars, and leadership skills all are displayed. They were able to toss in a lot of tidbits about his life into the dialog - his defeats, as well as he was the only one warning of the menace growing in Germany. And of course with every great leader is a great wife, who they displayed well in the movie.
Two thumbs up for Darkest Hour.
