Dunkirk Movie Quotes

Dunkirk movie quotes help tell the story of the film about the World War II evacuation of 400,000 soldiers from a beach in Dunkirk, France. The war movie was written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Dunkirk opened theatrically in the United States and United Kingdom on July 21, 2017. 

In Dunkirk, it's 1940 and Nazi Germany has invaded France. Allied forces flee north and reach the ocean-side town of Dunkirk. The Germans close in on the group, which includes British, French and Belgian troops, and surround them on the beach of Dunkirk. 

In what British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called "a colossal military disaster," 400,000 soldiers are trapped with little hope of surviving or ever getting home. What follows documents the evacuation efforts from the view of the soldiers and those who helped in the effort, civilians included.

Dunkirk opened alongside other top summer 2017 movies such as Despicable Me 3, Baby Driver, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and War for the Planet of the Apes.  

Commander Bolton: The enemy tanks have stopped.
Colonel Winnant: Why? 
Commander Bolton: Why waste precious tanks when they can pick us off from the air like a fish in a barrel?
...
Commander Bolton: There are 400,000 men on this beach.

A conversation between Winnant and Bolton in these Dunkirk movie quotes give a peek into the story of the film and their current situation. They and 400,000 other Allied soldiers are trapped on a beach in France, completely surrounded by German forces.

Commander Bolton: You can practically see it from here.
Colonel Winnant: What?
Commander Bolton: Home

In a situation where few have any hope of surviving or ever getting back home, Commander Bolton offers some rare optimism. In these Dunkirk movie quotes he talks about almost seeing home, not that they're anywhere to close to it.

Soldier: What has happened is a colossal military disaster. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall never surrender.

One soldier expresses his persistence in this Dunkirk movie quote. Yes, there was a huge disaster but that won't stop them from fighting to the end.

Mr. Dawson: The call went out. We have to go to Dunkirk. Ready on the stern line.
George: What are you doing? 
Peter: You know where we’re going?
Mr. Dawson: Into war, George
George: I’ll be useful, sir.

In these Dunkirk movie quotes, Mr. Dawson explains to George and Peter that they're heading out on the boat towards Dunkirk. This is just one of several civilians who participated in the evacuation. 

Colonel Winnant: They need to send more ships. Every hour the enemy pushes closer.
Commander Bolton: They’ve activated the civilian boats.
Colonel Winnant: Civilians? We need destroyers.

Colonel Winnant and Commander Bolton discuss their needs as the Germans begin to close in on them. But when Bolton explains that civilian boats are coming instead of destroyers, Winnant is not pleased.

Soldier: He’s coming back around. He’s coming back around!

As a fighter plane circles back around toward the ship filled with soldiers trying to get home, one soldier warns the other of the impending attack. While they're warned, there's not much they can do about it.

Shivering Soldier: Where are we going?
Mr. Dawson: Dunkirk
Shivering Soldier: I’m not going back. If we go there we’ll die. You're weekend sailors not the bloody Navy. You should be at home! 
Mr. Dawson: There’s no hiding from this, son. We have a job to do.
Shivering Soldier: Turn it around! Do it now!

Mr. Dawson rescues the shivering soldier from the icy waters only to inform him that they're returning to Dunkirk to rescue others. The soldier is highly against that idea and makes it quite clear in these Dunkirk movie quotes.

Tommy: Where’s the bloody air force?
 
As the lone survivor from his company, Tommy is already having a rough go. So when air forces are attacking with no Allied planes to battle them, he expresses his feelings in this Dunkirk movie quote.