10 Insanely Accurate War Film Details
5. Deafening Underwater Explosions - Dunkirk
It speaks volumes to the resume of Christopher Nolan that the WWII visual spectacle that is 2017's Dunkirk is considered by some to be one of the inimitable director's weaker offerings in terms of overall quality.
Contentious opinions aside, what Nolan's film isn't short on is detail. Employing stunning practical effects and thousands of extras to bring his vision of the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation to life, the director even enlisted boats used in the event itself for shooting. (There are some key inaccuracies, however - namely in that Dunkirk doesn't convey the sheer number of British servicemen trapped on the beach, which in reality numbered over 338,000.)
Harry Styles plays a significant role in carrying off one of Nolan's more meticulous pieces of war-time authenticity in Dunkirk. Styles' Alex - along with several other soldiers across the course of Dunkirk - can be seen clutching his ears in agony underwater as the shockwaves from the endless explosions ripple through the depths.
This all seems fairly obvious, but takes on entirely new significance when one takes into account the fact that sound travels four times faster underwater - imagine the noise of an explosion in close proximity and then quadruple that sensation. The pain caused by the detonation of a torpedo would have been excruciating, meaning that Alex's reaction is more than appropriate.