I agree with you and then some. I did not like this version at all and was very disappointment in it. The 1958 version, also called Dunkirk, with Richard Attenborough and John Mills is MUCH better. It was on TV the other night so I recorded it.
I was looking at the credits of the new Dunkirk last night and noticed the name Attenborough come up. Will Attenborough. Looked him up...grandson to Richard. Not sure what part he played, but he was in there. I didn’t realize Richard was in the original.