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Just as
there was a glut of Western movies a few years ago, now war
films seem to be big business.
Enemy
at the Gates will be followed by Pearl Harbour this
summer, and comes on the back of The Thin Red Line
and Saving Private Ryan.
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| When
can I get out of these muddy clothes? |
Indeed,
the story goes that director Jean-Jacques Annaud was so
impressed with Spielberg鈥檚 efforts that he determined
to make his own war film, only bigger and better.
Enemy
At The Gates is the result. It鈥檚 certainly big, rumoured
to have cost 拢85 million (making it the most expensive European
film ever made).
| Did
any of the critics actually watch this film? I found it
a brilliant and entertaining film which left me breathless
and speechless at the end. The actors were beliveable
and the love story was not out of place. The fact that
Vasili and Tania got together caused Daniolov to get more
ruthless in his treatment of Sasha and Vassili and to
put both in more dangerous situations. Im not too sure
why critics slammed it but Im glad I didnt listen to them. |
| Jo,
Fleet, England |
It鈥檚
opening scene of chaos and devastation makes the cinema
goer anticipate great things. Sadly it鈥檚 downhill shortly
after the opening credits.
Loosely
based on a true story, Enemy revolves around World
War Two鈥檚 Battle of Stalingrad.
Desperate
to inspire their Russian troops, Danilov (Joseph Fiennes)
discovers a hero in sharpshooter Vassily Zaitsev (Jude Law)
who鈥檚 reputedly killed more than 140 Germans. Coming from
a humble background, Zaitsev is just what鈥檚 needed to boost
morale.
Such a
good job is done building him into a demigod that the Germans
find they have to take counter measures. Their own top sniper,
Major Koenig (Ed Harris) is despatched to despatch Zaitsev.
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| I'd
like to see more of you but I think we need another action
scene soon |
So begins
a game of cat-and-mouse with the two men tracking each other
through the ruins of Stalingrad. That in itself is a plot
line commonly used in thriller movies. While it does up the
tension stakes there鈥檚 a certain sense of "been there, seen
that."
Of course,
what most war movies fans don鈥檛 want in a picture is a love
interest. So why Annaud insisted on introducing Rachel Weisz
is a mystery.
She ends
up being chased by Zaitsev and Danilov in a plot line that
adds little to the film.
Look out
for Bob Hoskins as Nikita Khrushchev. Otherwise this is a
high budget movie which promises a lot but doesn't quite deliver.
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