Darkest Hour Review

[Weatherman2020]

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.

 

[WinterBorn]

We saw it last Sunday. I think it will win Best Picture and Best Actor.

Gary Oldman nailed it!!

 

[williepete]

Thanks. Saw Dunkirk last night and wondered how it would fit in this this movie. Looking forward to it as a history geek. I've read most of Churchill's historical works. His WW2 memoirs and "A History of the English Speaking Peoples". The biography "The Last Lion" showed a lot about the man; warts and all. Next to read for me is his "The World Crisis".

 

[Weatherman2020]

Thanks. Saw Dunkirk last night and wondered how it would fit in this this movie. Looking forward to it as a history geek. I've read most of Churchill's historical works. His WW2 memoirs and "A History of the English Speaking Peoples". The biography "The Last Lion" showed a lot about the man; warts and all. Next to read for me is his "The World Crisis".

A book to consider. Better World Books usually has good used copies cheap, and no shipping costs.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Might go and see that. Not a Churchill fan though he did a good job during the war.

 

[Weatherman2020]

We saw it last Sunday. I think it will win Best Picture and Best Actor.

Gary Oldman nailed it!!

I agree, Oldman and the movie should get the awards. But unfortunately, Hollywood is so political there is no way they will acknowledge anything positive concerning Churchill.

 

[TheTechnologist]

We saw it last Sunday. I think it will win Best Picture and Best Actor.

Gary Oldman nailed it!!

I agree, Oldman and the movie should get the awards. But unfortunately, Hollywood is so political there is no way they will acknowledge anything positive concerning Churchill.

Not until you acknowledge something positive about Obama.

 

[TheTechnologist]

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.

The whole point of the imitation game was that he was trying to pass his own test "The Turing Test", but instead of a machine passing for human he was a homosexual passing for a heterosexual.

You conservatives are such dense losers. You miss all the allegories that make life interesting.

 

[2aguy]

Sorry....I really like Gary Oldman...but this movie wasn't that good.....my advice would be to wait for Redbox or Cable.....maybe I went in thinking it would be better because everyone was raving about it....but it just wasn't that interesting....