[1] The score was composed and created by Hans Zimmer, who collaborated with Lorne Balfe, Andrew Kawczynski, Steve Mazzaro, and Benjamin Wallfisch to provide additional music.

[2] Nolan's frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer began working on the score in January 2016,[4] which was continued for eleven months, and eventually created a 100-minute demo.

[6] Nolan assisted Zimmer on the composition of the score and closely assisted with the music supervision, which the latter had said in an interview to Deadline Hollywood, saying "The only way I can talk about the score is to talk about the images and Chris’ intellect, and the daring he had in taking something like this and not just making an experimental movie but actually turning it into a successful experimental movie, that people actually wanted to go and see.

"[6] "Nimrod" from Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations is part of the theme,[11][12] which was slowed down to six beats per minute with added bass notes to avoid it sounding sentimental.

"[13] Zimmer visited the Dunkirk set for inspiration, taking back a jar of sand,[14] and chose not to view raw footage whilst composing.

[21] Critical review, written for Consequence, and published by Blake Goble, gave a verdict saying "The repetitive work of Hans Zimmer and his repository of talented composers and influences makes music that sticks with you, long after the battle’s done.

Technically accomplished as it is, it hardly makes for a casual listen" and concluded " Zimmer and Nolan have always made for intriguing if controversial collaborators and Dunkirk is another signature work that will surely do more to extend the debate about the role of film music in contemporary cinema.

[11] In a 5-star review for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw stated the score as "one of Zimmer's best" and added "an eerie, keening, groaning accompaniment to a nightmare, switching finally to quasi-Elgar variations for the deliverance itself.

"[27] He added "Zimmer creates a continuous pantonal lament, which imitates the dive bomber scream and queasy turning of the tides, and it works in counterpoint to the deafening artillery and machine-gun fire that pretty much took the fillings out of my teeth and sent them in a shrapnel fusillade all over the cinema auditorium.

The connection between time and sound, were also elaborated with references to the three soldiers and timelines, running towards the same point, hence "three Shepard scales" are being created for the situation.

It further underlines the fear that the soldiers have, their desperate attempts for survival [...] The use of time and sound within the film work almost seamlessly with each other to create an experience for the audience, especially when viewed in a movie theatre.