Enemy At the Gates (2001)

ENEMY AT THE GATES: 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. UNCOMMON VALOR: Ted Kotcheff continues his First Blood fervor with Uncommon Valor. Gene Hackman stars as Cal Rhodes, a former Marine Colonel who has been getting the run-around for ten years from the government concerning the disappearance of his son and his buddies - all Marines who enlisted years prior and served in Vietnam. Rhodes' son was last seen in Laos, where he was fighting in the war and captured as a POW. When word gets back to Rhodes that the men may still be alive and held in prison camps, but the government still has the men listed as missing in action, Rhodes decides to take matters into his own hands. Contacting an old friend, oil baron MacGregor (Robert Stack), Rhodes is granted financial backing to form his own incursion force. He assembles a crack team of men, puts them through an intensive period of training. and heads back with them into the Laotian jungles to search for the MIAs.

Enemy at the Gates

While "Enemy at the Gates" initially overviews the horrendous battle that took place for possession of Stalingrad between the Germans and Russians in World War Two, it is, in fact, a movie of great suspense focusing on two top snipers from either side.
I recommend that you look at the promo section before viewing the film as it gives you a great understanding of its direction. The principal aim of the film is to focus on the blue eyes of the two snipers as they concentrate looking through their scopes. It is brilliant direction.
Enemy at the Gates is a wonderful film of action and suspense from start to finish. I recommend it to all who want to view a realistic, action film of historical significance. June 15, 2008

Pretty good

Okay, I really like Enemy at the Gates, because I love history (especially wars) and I am a HUGE Ed Harris fan.

Uncommon Valor bored me, which is the only reason I rated this product 3 stars out of 5. March 28, 2008

Very bad movie

I am Russian and I have to say this movie is terrible. The Red Army is depicted especially stupid. Looks like all the officers are idiots and the soldiers are like a big herd of cattle.

All the things about "the Soviet war propoganda" on the front etc. are hilarious.

It would take me a day to list all the inconsistencies and flaws of this movie.

My main advice is that if you want to get a feeling like it was at the Eastern Front during WWII, watch anything but not this movie.

I should appreciate the director's effort to show "the Russian view" of WWII. But, sorry, it was done really unprofessional.

If you want to see some war movies, see Saving private Ryan etc. they are much better. March 7, 2007

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