An Amazing Film on World War II

Rating: 8/10 (5 December 2006)

"Enemy at the Gates" is based on true facts that occurred during the siege of Stalingrad by the Germans during World War II. It shows the death duel between Russian top sniper Vassili Zaitsev and German top sniper Major Konig a most interesting confrontation indeed through the city in ruins.
But what really amazed me in this picture is the incredible atmosphere obtained by the not so prolific director Jean-Jacques Annaud as he did before in "the Name of the Rose" with that unforgettable sordid and remote medieval monastery somewhere in the Italian mountains. I don't remember a film that shows so perfectly -if this could be possible- the horror, miseries, nonsense and heroism at war than "Enemy at the Gates" (perhaps "Saving Private Ryan" action sequences were close).
If you like war films you can't miss it and if you don't its worth a watch too.
Just for the record: in Argentina "Enemy at the Gates" was renamed as "Enemigo al Acecho" (something like "The Stalking Enemy").