Quentin Tarantino Says This Movie Took Him Three Views to Fully Get

Quentin Tarantino once opened up about his viewing experience with Christopher Nolan’s 2017 war epic, Dunkirk, revealing that it took him three watches to fully grasp the film.

Known for his sharp insights into cinema, Tarantino admitted that the movie’s initial impact left him more impressed by its spectacle than by its emotional depth.

Speaking to IndieWire, Tarantino said, “The first time I saw it, I just dealt with the spectacle of it all. I couldn’t deal with anything else but the spectacle. I liked the movie, but the spectacle almost numbed me to the experience.”

“I didn’t feel anything emotional. I was awed by it, but I didn’t know what I was awed by… It wasn’t until the third time that I could see past the spectacle and into the people the story is about. I finally could see through the trees a little bit.” He said.

Dunkirk, written and directed by Nolan, tells the story of the Dunkirk evacuation during World War II from land, sea, and air perspectives. The film is notable for its minimal dialogue and heavy reliance on cinematography and music to build suspense.

It features an ensemble cast including Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles in his first major film role, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, and Tom Hardy.

The production relied heavily on practical effects, historic boats, thousands of extras, and period-accurate planes to recreate the evacuation. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema shot the movie on IMAX 65mm and large-format 65mm film, further enhancing the immersive experience.

Dunkirk premiered at London’s Odeon Leicester Square before its wide release in the United Kingdom and United States on July 21, 2017. It grossed over $530 million globally and was praised for its direction, editing, sound design, score, and cinematography.

The film received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won three Oscars for Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Film Editing.

Tarantino’s revelation underscores the layered storytelling Nolan is known for. While the movie’s scale initially captivated him, the emotional core became clear only after repeated viewings.

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