A Masterpiece. Seen it twice, will see it again.

Rating: 10/10 (8 April 2005)

** CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS**
I think I can say that this film has elevated itself to my personal favourite war film - and I've seen a few! Not only does it offer a gripping, bone-jarring realism that all war films should strive for - it also disturbs and leaves the viewer with many questions. It encourages the viewer/ amateur historian to seek out more information that the film can only hint at. Why did General Krebs speak fluent Russian (I know that one - he was a former military attache in Moscow before 1941). Who was Professor Schenk, and was SS General Mohnke really so utterly fearless and devoted to his dubious Master?? What was in Hitler's last political testament (I believe he claimed that he did not want war and offered to disarm etc) Perhaps such films should be required viewing in schools?
Although I will definitely buy the DVD (you can buy this now on the German Amazon site Amazon.de - DVD HAS English sub-titles), this is a film to see in the cinema. There is no substitute for a big screen filling your vision and the whole cinema vibrating to the sound of Soviet artillery shells.......