Poor

Rating: 5/10 (12 October 2001)

This was the film that could have been. Fairly stunning opening sequences and then what happened? The choice of cast was the first mistake - I didn't realise that English public school boys and clean cut 'English Roses' (enter Rachel Weiss) fought on the Russian Front. That was the main problem - they brought no character to the roles, though were too 'clean'. Some say it was a thinking mans war film and we were supposed to be kept on the edge of our seats by the (yawn) battle of wits between German and Russian sniper. I did think, mainly I should have bought a ticket for the film next door. Change the cast, chop half an hour (at least) off the length and throw in just a little more action and it might have been half decent. Don't rent this - try Cross of Iron, which although almost 25 years old is twice the film this is.