Enemy At The Gates - 2001

Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Pictures, KC Medien

Directed by Jean-Jacque Annaud

Cast:

• Vassili Zaitsev – Jude Law
• Major König – Ed Harris
• Tania Chernova – Rachel Weisz
• Commisar Danilov – Joseph Fiennes
• Nikita Khrushchev – Bob Hoskins
• Koulikov – Ron Perlman

Story: Based on true events, the year is 1942, and Stalingrad is under siege by the Nazi forces. Joseph Stalin has ordered the city held to the last man, and is sending his troops into battle with no hope of retreat. Conditions are close to medieval, and the latest commander has been relieved by Nikita Khrushchev, a man who will eventually lead his nation. Commisar Danilov is present at a meeting where Khrushchev has just asked his political officers what can be done to change the course of the battle. “Give them Hope” says Danilov, and relates to Khrushchev he has just witnessed a young soldier who they could use to promote a campaign of enthusiasm. Vassili Zaitsev is a simple sheppard, but his marksmanship is superior. Danilov holds him up as a hero of the Soviet Union and publicizes his deeds to inspire his countrymen to fight of their own free will. While a love story is added that may or may not have happened, the story of the young sniper and his German counterpart make an interesting and entertaining film.

Review: Since the film is based on true events, the reality of the film is not in question, I consider the first 20 minutes of the film to be the equivalent of the opening scenes of “Saving Private Ryan” or the battle scenes in “We Were Soldiers”. They are hard and gritty and grisly and not for the faint of heart. The pace of the film is quick and steady, and the action builds perfectly, like a well crafted symphony. Fiennes and Law are the perfect halves of the whole, the sniper with the deadly aim and the propagandist with the leader's ear. Hoskins portrayal of Khrushchev gives us an insight to the man he would become, the man who stood in the United Nations pounding his shoe on the podium screaming “We Will Bury You”. Rachel is a fine actress and performs well in this film, for a part that is totally unnecessary. But without a love story, we would never get the women into a war film. Anyway, violence alone will keep the kids away, or should, and there is a small and very discretely performed sex scene, but it doesn't last long and doesn't show much. Collectible if you enjoy great war films, as this one certainly is.