Excellent Movie

Rating: 7/10 (26 March 2001)

I saw Enemy at the Gates today and i wholeheartedly recommend it. Going in, I really didn't have much more than general background knowledge of the Battle of Stalingrad and its significance in World War II. I had also never heard of the sniper duel that took place there, so I can't comment on historical accuracy. One scene I found particularly enlightening is the scene where Bob Hoskins "explains" why the Nazis must never take Stalingrad.
This movie offers an exciting and intense struggle without the flag-waving and speech-making that usually accompany war movies. The ongoing duel between the two snipers, Jude Law and Ed Harris, is absolutely riveting. Even though he didn't have a German accent, I thought Ed Harris was excellent as the Nazi sharpshooter. The love story has been criticized by some, but I actually thought it was well done and the love scene between Law and Weisz was actually very appropriate given the circumstances. 8/10