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240 of 254 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
High pressured, silent and deadly., May 4, 2000
Any movie that is subtitled has to overcome a lot to get me totally involved in its plot. In the case of Germany's celebrated Submarine classic "Das Boot", I don't remember there being subtitles past the first five minutes. What originally drew me to the film was Jürgen Prochnow. He's such a great actor and he really impressed me in "Dune" and "The Seventh Sign". As usual, his portrayal of the German Navy Captain is understated and yet impressively powerful.
If you know your modern history, you'll be familiar with the German Submarine Command's service history, during the Second World War. In the early years these subs caused havoc in the Atlantic Ocean and beyond, virtually bringing merchant shipping to a standstill. Over time however, the Allies' newly commissioned sub-hunter ships challenged the German's stealthy supremacy. Disappointingly, those great "sub verses sub" duels rarely happened during WWII.
Das Boot's story takes place in 1941, and gone were the days when "wolf-packs" of U-Boats ruled the seas. German subs were hounded everywhere they went, resulting in a survival rate that drew sympathy even from the Luftwaffe. Despite these desperate straits, the German high command continued to find missions for the remaining sub crews. Naturally, the men making up these crews were a special breed, and as such, they drew a lot of attention from the civilian press around the world.
In this case a newspaper correspondent called Lieutenant Werner, has joined the boat for the duration of its mission. Events unfold from his point of view and so we can lose our misconceptions and innocence along with Werner. He has no responsibilities on board and is therefore under less stress that most, but at the same time he has nothing to distract him from the pressure of each enemy attack and the many fathoms of sea water over the sub.
Holding it all together, under terrifying conditions, is a single man. The captain is a scruffy, mildly cynical, bastion of strength. He deals calmly with almost any situation, drawing on a seemingly unlimited store of courage. He also uses this courage in the face his 1st Lieutenant, a goose-stepping Nazi loyalist, who disapproves of his captain's lack of respect for Hitler, the high command and much else about Germany's military efforts.
The film takes an even darker turn when, during the middle of their tour, the captain receives orders to commence a new mission; a mission which amounts to suicide. They are asked to enter the Mediterranean Sea via the Gibraltar Strait and make an attack on enemy shipping. The strait is very narrow and heavily monitored but the captain accepts his orders, devising a strategy that gives them at least some hope.
Not surprisingly, things go bad from the start. I'm not going into a blow by blow description. Suffice to say that every moment is chock full of dramatic tension and the relationships within the crew become more obvious with every crisis. In the end, the audience feels almost as exhausted as these brave men, which makes the final scenes even more powerful.
One warning for those that want to see this absorbing movie. Do not watch the dubbed version. In some versions, the voice acting is a joke and distracts form the story. Instead, stick to the subtitles. Trust me, you're not going to notice them.
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44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the absolute best WWII movies ever made!!!, October 3, 2001
I am updating this review to encourage fans of the movie to get the newly released "Original Uncut" version. This version is the one originally aired as a mini-series on German TV and is approximately 5 hours in length. It goes into much greater detail about the crewmembers and shows some critical dialogue and battle scenes that were left out of the theater version and the directtor's cut.
Get this DVD!! It is far superior to the VHS version. Watch the movie in German with subtitles to really get the flavor of the dialogue. The English dubbed version is, to me, sanitized.
Das Boot recreates a combat patrol of a German submarine operating out of France in 1941. The prologue explains that the war in the North Atlantic is turning against the Germans as the British have developed superior Anti submarine tactics. Nevertheless the Captain (brilliantly portrayed by Jurgen Prochnow) takes his baby-faced crew into harm's way in an effort to do his duty as a German Naval officer, even though his distaste for the High command is evident.
The movie was extremely well made. You really feel like you are inside this cramped 200' long piece of sewer pipe that was home to 50 sailors. The claustrophobia, boredom, lack of hygene, and loneliness all are effectively portrayed. Someone once wrote that being a soldier in wartime was 97% boredom punctuated by 3% of absolute terror. That axiom is evident throughout the film.
The DVD version has enhanced Dolby sound, which makes the depth charge attacks all the more realistic. In one sequence the depth charge attacks are so intense that it seems that the sound alone will destroy the U boat.
Some consider Das Boot an "anti-war" film. I am not sure that it really falls into that category. It certainly doesn't glorify war, nor does it really offer much commentary on the merits, or lack thereof, of the German war effort. The Officers onboard never really discuss politics, or what the war is about. Their attitude is, rather, that they are there to do a job and that's what they're going to do. Only one officer, a clean shaven die-hard Nazi expresses any real commitment, and he's made fun of by the others.
No, Das Boot is a film about war, and those who are called upon to fight it. It is intense, gripping and moving. You'll never spend $23 for a better DVD.
Walter
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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Masterpiece, April 16, 2000
I don't think there are enough superlatives in the English language to adequately describe this film. It succeeds in every possible way. This is not only one of the best war movies ever, but among the very best films period. The story is based on a true story of a German Submarine and its crew during WWII. The plot is simple. A bunch of ordinary young guys are crammed into a little tin can and go out and do their duty while trying to avoid getting killed. This slice of life film gives a chillingly detailed look at the rigors of war in a U-boat. We are treated to the stark reality of submarine warfare; the hours of boredom; the camaraderie and simultaneous aggravation that comes with living in such close quarters, the exultation of victory when a torpedo hits, the stark terror of the sound of a destroyer's propeller just above or the insane fear of the boat being crushed by the water pressure as you go too deep. This film is unique in that it is done from the German perspective. Most films about WWII are from the Allied perspective since they were produced in Hollywood or England. What is striking about this film is how it depicts war as a human event rather than a nationalistic conflict. It makes us realize that for the foot soldier and sailor on the battle lines, no matter what side, war is the same. It is more a matter of survival than glory. Director Wolfgang Peterson did a brilliant job on this film. The set and props were authentic in minute detail and the work in tight quarters was truly remarkable. You get a real sense of the cramped quarters and how nimble the men had to be scrambling from compartment to compartment. Peterson spares us none of the unpleasantness of submarine life. The stark reality of it is startling. By far Peterson's greatest accomplishment is the spine tingling suspense. The effect is so terrifying you feel like you are part of the crew. His use of angles, lighting, actor's reactions and most especially sound makes this film far more frightening and suspenseful than anything the horror genre has ever produced. I viewed this on DVD (Director's Cut) and the sound was probably the best I've ever experienced. You hear water dripping behind you, bolts explode and go screaming diagonally across the room to clank on the other side, the sound of the destroyer's propeller escalates from a fly buzz to a roar as the ping from the sonar gets ever louder. You find every muscle in your body tensing as you hear them drop the depth charges. The ending is superb. It is triumphant, poignant and ironic; unexpected and yet not surprising. It is neither what the viewer is apt to want nor expect, and yet it is not disappointing. I can't think of any negative criticism I would give this film. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won none. That speaks volumes about the dubious nature of the Academy. Even if you don't normally enjoy war movies, you should see this film. It is ultra excellent drama, entertainment and filmmaking. A perfect 10.
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