A deep and meaningful film

Rating: Null/10 (9 April 2001)

This film is based on one of the most significant historical battles ever, and yes maybe this film does lack some of the historical facts and may also at times takes you away from the true and complex Stalingrad story. I do not claim to be a big historian but to even try and get across a tiny amount of the suffering that occurred in Stalingrad would be impossible and also make for an incredibly sad and deeply heart wrenching film.

This film was very entertaining and keeps you focused to it all the way through with both its wonderful attention to detail and its brilliant focus on the human nature, it does not glorify war or portray any super human heroes who will save all. War is not just about fighting as `Saving Private Ryan' helped proved, war is about human nature and people and I feel that this film helps demonstrate this very well.
There are so many different pockets of narrative to get involved with, all of which truly draw your full attention. I think that the director has preformed a wonderful job in making a deeply emotional film which at the same time does not drag the viewers deep into the realms of depression, Stalingrad is a dark and sad place which this film clearly shows but at the same time it truly highlights the strength of the human sprit to rise above such turmoil and suffering. The entangling love story that weaves it way though his movie definitely builds this film into to deep and enthralling story of not just death and destruction but of people and feelings, the film helps us understand the nature of war but it also helps us understand the nature of people, it demonstrates courage, valour, jealously, sorrow, desolation and love.
A wonderful film and a must see, it will truly move you. A wonderful cinema epic that encapsulates an amazing chapter of Russian history.