Enemy at the Gates
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 4 stars - but with a few caveats...
  • Vassily Zaitzev
  • Cat and Mouse
  • not bad but not as good as the original novel
  • A classic war movie!
Enemy at the Gates
Starring: Matthais Habich , Ed Harris , Bob Hoskins , Eva Mattes , and Ron Perlman
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:
  1. Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition) Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition)
  2. We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition) We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition)
  3. The Thin Red Line The Thin Red Line
  4. Black Hawk Down Black Hawk Down
  5. U-571 (Collector's Edition) U-571 (Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B00003CXRA
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Amazon.com

Like Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gates opens with a pivotal event of World War II--the German invasion of Stalingrad--re-created in epic scale, as ill-trained Russian soldiers face German attack or punitive execution if they flee from the enemy's advance. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud captures this madness with urgent authenticity, creating a massive context for a more intimate battle waged amid the city's ruins. Embellished from its basis in fact, the story shifts to an intense cat-and-mouse game between a Russian shepherd raised to iconic fame and a German marksman whose skill is unmatched in its lethal precision. Vassily Zaitzev (Jude Law) has been sniping Nazis one bullet at a time, while the German Major Konig (Ed Harris) has been assigned to kill Vassily and spare Hitler from further embarrassment.

There's love in war as Vassily connects with a woman soldier (Rachel Weisz), but she is also loved by Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), the Soviet officer who promotes his friend Vassily as Russia's much-needed hero. This romantic rivalry lends marginal interest to the central plot, but it's not enough to make this a classic war film. Instead it's a taut, well-made suspense thriller isolated within an epic battle, and although Annaud and cowriter Alain Godard (drawing from William Craig's book and David L. Robbins's novel The War of the Rats) fail to connect the parallel plots with any lasting impact, the production is never less than impressive. Highly conventional but handled with intelligence and superior craftsmanship, this is warfare as strategic entertainment, without compromising warfare as a manmade hell on Earth. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars 4 stars - but with a few caveats..........2007-09-03

I enjoyed this movie, and give it 4 stars for its scenery, props and acting.
However, you'll have to already know (i.e., have studied) the Eastern Front war in general and the Stalingrad battle in particular to understand the overall war picture. By that I mean in the movie the Soviets seem to go from almost certain defeat to victory without explanation. (The real explanation, by the way, was largely twofold - the Germans grossly over extended their supply lines, and the Russians very smartly fed just enough troops into Stalingrad to keep the Germans fixated on "winning" there until the Russians could organize their encircling counter-attack. None of this comes out in the movie).

The setting, scenes, uniforms & weapons, were accurately protrayed to a very good level of detail. Too bad the plot wasn't treated the same. It starts off as a broad heroic story, which then narrows to a conflict between Zaitsev and Koenig, with a love triangle of Zaitsev-Tanya-Danilov thrown in. Plot development is the film's weakest point in my opinion.

There are some inaccuracies, such as the locking of the Russian cattle-car troop trains - that was NOT the Soviet's practice! They left them open in case of air attack. Things like that scene are most likely the result of American (or more generally, western) inclinations to view the Communists as indifferent to life or as some sort of slave-labor-based society. Mismanagement aside, the Russians suffered terribly from the war.

Its a good movie - but don't take it as history. Zaitsev was a real person though and a real hero, as was Tanya. Major Koenig is now believed to be a propaganda invention.
For the real story of Stalingrad, I'd suggest reading the book "Enemy at the Gates" by William Craig - a very easy read.

4 out of 5 stars Vassily Zaitzev .......2007-08-27

Vassily Zaitzev was the most successfull sniper in history. The opening scene as the troops cross in boats to Stalingrad is beyond description.


Corey Cotta, Author of All Of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

3 out of 5 stars Cat and Mouse.......2007-05-10

Set during the fall of Stalingrad in World War two, "Enemy at the Gates" focuses on Vassili Zaitsev, a poor soldier who has a gift for sharp shooting. That gift comes to the attention of Commisar Danilov, who sees Zaitsev as a political propaganda coup for an ailing Russian military. The Germans call in a sniper of their own, a Major Konig, to deal with this sniper who is growing in fame.

The tension is thick in this movie, as the two snipers stalk each other. However, around them is the maelstrom of the Battle of Stalingrad. The stark realities of the Russian army are very realistic, with soldiers sharing a single weapon, living in horrid conditions, and suffering badly.

The attempts of the political officers to exploit Zaitsev for their own goals are also highlighted. Their sometimes cynical use of people to advance the glory of the Motherland is sometimes horrible to contemplate and view.

The movie is earthy and real, and the acting is excellent. Jude Law is great in the lead roll. I was very impressed with the cast of the movie.

Not an action filled gore-fest like We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition), it is certainly realistic in its depictions. It is a good movie with lots of tense moments. I enjoyed this movie a lot.

4 out of 5 stars not bad but not as good as the original novel.......2007-04-27

david robbins' original novel is a very enjoyable reading experience. he vividly painted a desperate russian picture in wwll, the siege of stalingrad, the duel between two great snipers. jude law and ed harris both did great jobs in this movie. the good thing of this movie is that the ideological part was lightly touched to avoid possibility of boredom. the battle scenes were nicely and vividly arranged and carried out. the russian political officer with a horsey face was the only weak actor resulted in bad casting.

5 out of 5 stars A classic war movie!.......2007-04-03

I love WWII movies. This one is a modern classic. Don't miss it!
In Enemy Hands
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • 4-star for quality production, but . . .
  • draggling, dull, despriting, devoid of a good story
  • Loved this submarine story.
  • What is this, Brokeback Submarine?
  • Decent Submarine movie with a great cast which makes this movie worth the watch
In Enemy Hands
Starring: Til Schweiger , Thomas Kretschmann , Connor Donne , Matt Lindquist , and Rene Heger
Director: Tony Giglio
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002S94G6
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Product Description

At the height of Hitler s notorious U-boat war, the crew of the U.S.S. Swordfish is taken prisoner in a battle with a German sub. However, meningitis strikes more that half of the German crew, and there aren t enough Germans to run the sub. Avoiding both the contagion and POW protocol crew members and prisoners alike must work together to survive. But it isn t until a U.S. Carrier locates the ship that the men aboard the U-boat are put to the ultimate test of will and survival.

System Requirements:
  • Running Time 98 Min

    Format: DVD MOVIE

    Customer Reviews:

    1 out of 5 stars 4-star for quality production, but . . ........2007-08-21

    I blame myself for not taking the clue of the title, "In Enemy Hands." Yep, just like a submarine gliding beneath the surface into your worldview, the mission of this propaganda film is to promote a "let's just be nice" attitude toward our "enemies."

    What "Hunt For Red October" tried to do with the minds of Americans toward the kind-hearted, well-meaning Russians, "In Enemy Hands" tries to do with our minds toward those regular-guy, would-be brothers who happened to be born in Germany in the Hitler era. I should have seen it coming, from the early scenes of the (albeit subtitled) German dialogue. The producers of this subversive film make every effort possible to show us that the Nazis didn't really want to be mean to us, and that they really only torpedoed a U.S. ship if it was mean to them first. Come on guys! Can't we just get along? Let's all realize that if it wasn't for those nasty war-minded few, we would all be great brothers!

    Even the cowardly American sub-crew who were taken captive (by the kind-hearted Nazi submarine captain) had to be shown (by the makers of the film) that their fears of being mistreated by Germans were entirely misguided.

    Shoot, can't you see the love in the teary eyes of the Nazi captain when he chokes up over the news that his daughter's school was bombed ("with no survivors")? And if you get really on board with this movie, you'll realize that it was us mean Americans who did all of the bad things in the WW2!

    Oh, and by the way, no, WW2 was not "over" in 1943 as the actors claimed throughout. Lemme see, I seem to remember a couple of bombs going off in August of 1945 on Japan.

    As for the casting, I guess that for the "hero" in this anti-military media effort, they had to find an actor who is best at being a wimpy bit-player. William C. Macy sticks out in my mind as the dorky principal in Mr. Holland's Opus, the annoying bean-counter in A Civil Action, the insecure worry-wart dad-of-a-loser in Searching For Bobby Fischer, and the only forgetable character in John Grisham's The Client.

    Why did the writers choose the disease of meningitis? Along with the not-so-subtle title message of being in the loving hands of the Nazis, I think they chose this disease because it sounds like "men in crisis." And of course, the crisis is having to admit that we have thought of Nazis in such undeservedly ugly ways.

    And if I may ask one more question; why make this film in 2004? My guess is that "In Enemy Hands" is really aimed at our present-day mean view of those kind-hearted, well-meaning Muslims around the world who only blow themselves up around dissenting men, women and children because Americans have been so mean and unkind to them first.

    This film deserves a full depth charge.

    1 out of 5 stars draggling, dull, despriting, devoid of a good story.......2007-04-14

    Didn't believe there could be a worse film than U-571 until I saw this one.

    Scenes are pretty good. Costuming very period. They used a real submarine and they used real germans.

    Acting is very low quality. Plot is dragging and dull. Diolog just dies. Spoken devoid of spirit. Other than the German captain and his exxo, none of the characters is really interesting.

    Really pathetic this one.

    5 out of 5 stars Loved this submarine story........2006-08-10

    This movie moved me to the point of tears. It is an absolute gem. You will not be disappointed.

    1 out of 5 stars What is this, Brokeback Submarine?.......2006-04-16

    This is an unbelievable movie. Let's get this straight, Macy makes a promise that he will not take the ENIGMA machine to the Nazi commander, and then keeps his word by scuttling the ship. This is a true version of Hollywood's idea of a hero. A man betrays his country for his friendship with the German, nevermind the thousands of American and British sailors possession of the ENIGMA would save, nevermind defeating the most brutal dictator and mass murderer in history (Stalin's and Mao's mass murders hadn't happened yet), Macy's loyalty is to his new German "ally" (lover?). His actions are not believable. In reality, if Macy did act in this manner, his crew would probably have killed him, or at least subdued him and turned him in for treason along with the ENIGMA device.

    To the guy who rated this 5 stars and said most won't get this movie (typical Liberal elitist), we get it, we just don't like it.

    Typical Hollywood anti-war drivel, adequate acting, weak plot, poor writing, unimaginative Leftist propaganda...Barbara Streisand's version of WWII.

    3 out of 5 stars Decent Submarine movie with a great cast which makes this movie worth the watch.......2006-04-16

    In 2000's U571, the Americans attacked a German UBoat and eventually their boat got destroyed and so they had to us the German boat. In this one, the German's attack the American sub when it was doing pratice dives and eventually the German's take the remaining American survives aboard and hold them hostage. Things happen when some German soldiers get out of hand attacking the Americans and some of the German's actually try to blow up the ship after the German captain has the American's help them get back home. Not bad submarine movie has its moments and the cast has some excellent stars and young stars which gives this movie the power it needs. There are some cheesy moments (actress Lauren Holly (Dumb & Dumber, Down Periscope) for one thing) but it was a decent enough ride. I would say in a different style then U571, not like it (but it did feel like it sorta). The excellent cast includes the superb William H. Macy (The Cooler, Stealing Sinatra), Scott Caan (A Boy Named Hate, Into The Blue), Til Schweiger (Driven, Barefoot), a solid Thomas Kretschmann (Immortal, King Kong), Clark Gregg (We Were Soldiers), Ian Somerhalder (Tv's LOST, upcoming Pulse), Jeremy Sisto (Wrong Turn, Suicide Kings), AJ Buckley (Wishcraft, The Forsaken), Chris Ellis (Con Air, Crimson Tide), Sam Huntington (Rolling Kansas, Detroit Rock City) and Xander Berkeley (North Country, Fox's 24).
    Enemy at the Gates
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • 4 stars - but with a few caveats...
    • Vassily Zaitzev
    • Cat and Mouse
    • not bad but not as good as the original novel
    • A classic war movie!
    Enemy at the Gates
    Starring: Jude Law , Ed Harris , Rachel Weisz , Joseph Fiennes , and Bob Hoskins
    Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
    Manufacturer: Paramount
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    Similar Items:
    1. Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition) Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition)
    2. We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition) We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition)
    3. The Thin Red Line The Thin Red Line
    4. Black Hawk Down Black Hawk Down
    5. U-571 (Collector's Edition) U-571 (Collector's Edition)

    ASIN: B00005LQ0R
    Release Date: 2001-08-14

    Amazon.com

    Like Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gates opens with a pivotal event of World War II--the German invasion of Stalingrad--re-created in epic scale, as ill-trained Russian soldiers face German attack or punitive execution if they flee from the enemy's advance. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud captures this madness with urgent authenticity, creating a massive context for a more intimate battle waged amid the city's ruins. Embellished from its basis in fact, the story shifts to an intense cat-and-mouse game between a Russian shepherd raised to iconic fame and a German marksman whose skill is unmatched in its lethal precision. Vassily Zaitzev (Jude Law) has been sniping Nazis one bullet at a time, while the German Major Konig (Ed Harris) has been assigned to kill Vassily and spare Hitler from further embarrassment.

    There's love in war as Vassily connects with a woman soldier (Rachel Weisz), but she is also loved by Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), the Soviet officer who promotes his friend Vassily as Russia's much-needed hero. This romantic rivalry lends marginal interest to the central plot, but it's not enough to make this a classic war film. Instead it's a taut, well-made suspense thriller isolated within an epic battle, and although Annaud and cowriter Alain Godard (drawing from William Craig's book and David L. Robbins's novel The War of the Rats) fail to connect the parallel plots with any lasting impact, the production is never less than impressive. Highly conventional but handled with intelligence and superior craftsmanship, this is warfare as strategic entertainment, without compromising warfare as a manmade hell on Earth. --Jeff Shannon

    Product Description

    An all-star cast lights up the screen in this riveting epic hailed as "a vivid dramatization of one of history's titanic turning points". (Gene Shalit, TODAY) The year is 1942 and the Nazis are cutting a deadly swath through Russia. Under the leadership of Kruschev (Bob Hoskins), the citizens of Stalingrad are mounting a brave resistance, spurred by the exploits of their local hero, Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law). An expert sniper, Vassili's deeds have become legendary - thanks to propaganda produced by Vassili's best friend, a political officer named Danilov (Joseph Fiennes). To stop Vassili, the Germans dispatch their best sniper, Major Konig (Ed Harris), to Stalingrad. When Vassili and Danilov both fall in love with a beautiful soldier (Rachel Weisz), Danilov deserts his friend, leaving Vassili to face his German counterpart alone. As the city burns, Vassili and Konig begin a cunning game of cat and mouse, waging a private war for courage, honor and country.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars 4 stars - but with a few caveats..........2007-09-03

    I enjoyed this movie, and give it 4 stars for its scenery, props and acting.
    However, you'll have to already know (i.e., have studied) the Eastern Front war in general and the Stalingrad battle in particular to understand the overall war picture. By that I mean in the movie the Soviets seem to go from almost certain defeat to victory without explanation. (The real explanation, by the way, was largely twofold - the Germans grossly over extended their supply lines, and the Russians very smartly fed just enough troops into Stalingrad to keep the Germans fixated on "winning" there until the Russians could organize their encircling counter-attack. None of this comes out in the movie).

    The setting, scenes, uniforms & weapons, were accurately protrayed to a very good level of detail. Too bad the plot wasn't treated the same. It starts off as a broad heroic story, which then narrows to a conflict between Zaitsev and Koenig, with a love triangle of Zaitsev-Tanya-Danilov thrown in. Plot development is the film's weakest point in my opinion.

    There are some inaccuracies, such as the locking of the Russian cattle-car troop trains - that was NOT the Soviet's practice! They left them open in case of air attack. Things like that scene are most likely the result of American (or more generally, western) inclinations to view the Communists as indifferent to life or as some sort of slave-labor-based society. Mismanagement aside, the Russians suffered terribly from the war.

    Its a good movie - but don't take it as history. Zaitsev was a real person though and a real hero, as was Tanya. Major Koenig is now believed to be a propaganda invention.
    For the real story of Stalingrad, I'd suggest reading the book "Enemy at the Gates" by William Craig - a very easy read.

    4 out of 5 stars Vassily Zaitzev .......2007-08-27

    Vassily Zaitzev was the most successfull sniper in history. The opening scene as the troops cross in boats to Stalingrad is beyond description.


    Corey Cotta, Author of All Of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

    3 out of 5 stars Cat and Mouse.......2007-05-10

    Set during the fall of Stalingrad in World War two, "Enemy at the Gates" focuses on Vassili Zaitsev, a poor soldier who has a gift for sharp shooting. That gift comes to the attention of Commisar Danilov, who sees Zaitsev as a political propaganda coup for an ailing Russian military. The Germans call in a sniper of their own, a Major Konig, to deal with this sniper who is growing in fame.

    The tension is thick in this movie, as the two snipers stalk each other. However, around them is the maelstrom of the Battle of Stalingrad. The stark realities of the Russian army are very realistic, with soldiers sharing a single weapon, living in horrid conditions, and suffering badly.

    The attempts of the political officers to exploit Zaitsev for their own goals are also highlighted. Their sometimes cynical use of people to advance the glory of the Motherland is sometimes horrible to contemplate and view.

    The movie is earthy and real, and the acting is excellent. Jude Law is great in the lead roll. I was very impressed with the cast of the movie.

    Not an action filled gore-fest like We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition), it is certainly realistic in its depictions. It is a good movie with lots of tense moments. I enjoyed this movie a lot.

    4 out of 5 stars not bad but not as good as the original novel.......2007-04-27

    david robbins' original novel is a very enjoyable reading experience. he vividly painted a desperate russian picture in wwll, the siege of stalingrad, the duel between two great snipers. jude law and ed harris both did great jobs in this movie. the good thing of this movie is that the ideological part was lightly touched to avoid possibility of boredom. the battle scenes were nicely and vividly arranged and carried out. the russian political officer with a horsey face was the only weak actor resulted in bad casting.

    5 out of 5 stars A classic war movie!.......2007-04-03

    I love WWII movies. This one is a modern classic. Don't miss it!
    Enemy At the Gates (2001) / Uncommon Valor (1983) (Double Feature)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Enemy At the Gates (2001) / Uncommon Valor (1983) (Double Feature)
      Starring: Jude Law , Ed Harris , Rachel Weisz , Joseph Fiennes , and Bob Hoskins
      Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud , and Ted Kotcheff
      Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: DVD

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      ASIN: B000PHX5NC
      Release Date: 2007-08-07
      Peter The Great: The Tyrant Reformer (A & E Biography)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Peter The Great: The Tyrant Reformer (A & E Biography)
        Director: A & E Television Network
        Manufacturer: A & E Television Network
        ProductGroup: DVD
        Binding: DVD

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        ASIN: B000EB5N9I

        Product Description

        He was a Renaissance man not long after that legendary time, mastering over 20 crafts while leading Russia through decades of warfare and massive change. At 6'7" he towered over his countrymen, literally and figuratively. Peter the Great embodied vast contradictions befitting the massive country he ruled. Cultured and cruel, brutal and dedicated, tyrant and reformer, he lived life on a titanic scale and cast a shadow over his nation that lingers to this day. This epic Biography draws on a vast collection of archival material and the research of scholars like Nicholas Riasanovsky and Dr. Paul Bushkovitch of the University of California to explore the life of the Czar who almost single-handedly modernized and Westernized his vast country. Examining the internal reforms he instituted and the wars he waged, as well as the life he led within the private chambers of his vast palaces, this is a captivating portrait of one of the most fascinating figures of all time. From 1696 to 1725, he ruled Russia with an iron hand, and his life and legacy have captivated generation after generation ever since.
        Charlie Rose with Gary Locke & James Devine; James Horner; Rebecca Walker (March 1, 2001)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Charlie Rose with Gary Locke & James Devine; James Horner; Rebecca Walker (March 1, 2001)

          Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
          ProductGroup: DVD
          Binding: DVD

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          ASIN: B000HBL78Q
          Release Date: 2006-08-15

          Description

          First, conversations with the governor of Washington Gary Locke and scientist James Devine of the United States Geological Survey on the impact of the earthquake in Seattle. Next, composer James Horner discusses writing the scores for the films Titanic and Enemy at the Gates. Also, author Rebecca Walker talks about her memoir, Black, White, and Jewish.
          Enemy at the Gates [Region 2]
          Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
          • 4 stars - but with a few caveats...
          • Vassily Zaitzev
          • Cat and Mouse
          • not bad but not as good as the original novel
          • A classic war movie!
          Enemy at the Gates [Region 2]
          Starring: Jude Law , Ed Harris , Rachel Weisz , Joseph Fiennes , and Bob Hoskins
          Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
          ProductGroup: DVD
          Binding: DVD

          ThrillersThrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
          Habich, MatthiasHabich, Matthias | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
          Harris, EdHarris, Ed | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
          Hoskins, BobHoskins, Bob | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
          Law, JudeLaw, Jude | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
          Mattes, EvaMattes, Eva | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
          Perlman, RonPerlman, Ron | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
          Weisz, RachelWeisz, Rachel | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
          Annaud, Jean-JacquesAnnaud, Jean-Jacques | ( A ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
          ( E )( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
          Similar Items:
          1. Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition) Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition)
          2. We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition) We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition)
          3. The Thin Red Line The Thin Red Line
          4. Black Hawk Down Black Hawk Down
          5. U-571 (Collector's Edition) U-571 (Collector's Edition)

          ASIN: B00005OLA6

          Amazon.com

          Like Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gates opens with a pivotal event of World War II--the German invasion of Stalingrad--re-created in epic scale, as ill-trained Russian soldiers face German attack or punitive execution if they flee from the enemy's advance. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud captures this madness with urgent authenticity, creating a massive context for a more intimate battle waged amid the city's ruins. Embellished from its basis in fact, the story shifts to an intense cat-and-mouse game between a Russian shepherd raised to iconic fame and a German marksman whose skill is unmatched in its lethal precision. Vassily Zaitzev (Jude Law) has been sniping Nazis one bullet at a time, while the German Major Konig (Ed Harris) has been assigned to kill Vassily and spare Hitler from further embarrassment.

          There's love in war as Vassily connects with a woman soldier (Rachel Weisz), but she is also loved by Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), the Soviet officer who promotes his friend Vassily as Russia's much-needed hero. This romantic rivalry lends marginal interest to the central plot, but it's not enough to make this a classic war film. Instead it's a taut, well-made suspense thriller isolated within an epic battle, and although Annaud and cowriter Alain Godard (drawing from William Craig's book and David L. Robbins's novel The War of the Rats) fail to connect the parallel plots with any lasting impact, the production is never less than impressive. Highly conventional but handled with intelligence and superior craftsmanship, this is warfare as strategic entertainment, without compromising warfare as a manmade hell on Earth. --Jeff Shannon

          Customer Reviews:

          4 out of 5 stars 4 stars - but with a few caveats..........2007-09-03

          I enjoyed this movie, and give it 4 stars for its scenery, props and acting.
          However, you'll have to already know (i.e., have studied) the Eastern Front war in general and the Stalingrad battle in particular to understand the overall war picture. By that I mean in the movie the Soviets seem to go from almost certain defeat to victory without explanation. (The real explanation, by the way, was largely twofold - the Germans grossly over extended their supply lines, and the Russians very smartly fed just enough troops into Stalingrad to keep the Germans fixated on "winning" there until the Russians could organize their encircling counter-attack. None of this comes out in the movie).

          The setting, scenes, uniforms & weapons, were accurately protrayed to a very good level of detail. Too bad the plot wasn't treated the same. It starts off as a broad heroic story, which then narrows to a conflict between Zaitsev and Koenig, with a love triangle of Zaitsev-Tanya-Danilov thrown in. Plot development is the film's weakest point in my opinion.

          There are some inaccuracies, such as the locking of the Russian cattle-car troop trains - that was NOT the Soviet's practice! They left them open in case of air attack. Things like that scene are most likely the result of American (or more generally, western) inclinations to view the Communists as indifferent to life or as some sort of slave-labor-based society. Mismanagement aside, the Russians suffered terribly from the war.

          Its a good movie - but don't take it as history. Zaitsev was a real person though and a real hero, as was Tanya. Major Koenig is now believed to be a propaganda invention.
          For the real story of Stalingrad, I'd suggest reading the book "Enemy at the Gates" by William Craig - a very easy read.

          4 out of 5 stars Vassily Zaitzev .......2007-08-27

          Vassily Zaitzev was the most successfull sniper in history. The opening scene as the troops cross in boats to Stalingrad is beyond description.


          Corey Cotta, Author of All Of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

          3 out of 5 stars Cat and Mouse.......2007-05-10

          Set during the fall of Stalingrad in World War two, "Enemy at the Gates" focuses on Vassili Zaitsev, a poor soldier who has a gift for sharp shooting. That gift comes to the attention of Commisar Danilov, who sees Zaitsev as a political propaganda coup for an ailing Russian military. The Germans call in a sniper of their own, a Major Konig, to deal with this sniper who is growing in fame.

          The tension is thick in this movie, as the two snipers stalk each other. However, around them is the maelstrom of the Battle of Stalingrad. The stark realities of the Russian army are very realistic, with soldiers sharing a single weapon, living in horrid conditions, and suffering badly.

          The attempts of the political officers to exploit Zaitsev for their own goals are also highlighted. Their sometimes cynical use of people to advance the glory of the Motherland is sometimes horrible to contemplate and view.

          The movie is earthy and real, and the acting is excellent. Jude Law is great in the lead roll. I was very impressed with the cast of the movie.

          Not an action filled gore-fest like We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition), it is certainly realistic in its depictions. It is a good movie with lots of tense moments. I enjoyed this movie a lot.

          4 out of 5 stars not bad but not as good as the original novel.......2007-04-27

          david robbins' original novel is a very enjoyable reading experience. he vividly painted a desperate russian picture in wwll, the siege of stalingrad, the duel between two great snipers. jude law and ed harris both did great jobs in this movie. the good thing of this movie is that the ideological part was lightly touched to avoid possibility of boredom. the battle scenes were nicely and vividly arranged and carried out. the russian political officer with a horsey face was the only weak actor resulted in bad casting.

          5 out of 5 stars A classic war movie!.......2007-04-03

          I love WWII movies. This one is a modern classic. Don't miss it!
          TOM HANKS "3 DVD Set" Saving Private Ryan (D-day 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition) / Cast Away (Widescreen Single Disc Edition)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            TOM HANKS "3 DVD Set" Saving Private Ryan (D-day 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition) / Cast Away (Widescreen Single Disc Edition)

            ProductGroup: DVD
            Binding: DVD

            DVD SinglesDVD Singles | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video
            ASIN: B000BD9NMM

            Product Description

            Starring: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, See more Director: Steven Spielberg Encoding: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.) Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby Aspect Ratio(s): 1.85:1 Audio Encoding: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Rated: Not for sale to persons under age 18. Studio: Umvd/Dreamworks DVD Release Date: February 8, 2005 Run Time: 169 DVD Features: Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 5.1) An Introduction By Steven Spielberg Looking In To The Past: The Research, the Screenplay and the Vision The Making of the Platoon Boot Camp for the Cast Re-creating D-Day: Omaha Beach Music And Sound Parting Words and more Number of discs: 2---Starring: Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, See more Director: Robert Zemeckis Encoding: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.) Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, DTS Surround Sound, Dolby Aspect Ratio(s): 1.85:1 Audio Encoding: DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 6.1 EX, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Rated: Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Video DVD Release Date: September 2, 2003 Run Time: 143 DVD Features: Available subtitles: English, Spanish Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) Commentary by Robert Zemeckis and crew

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