The realities of loading both weapons...and one's pants! Never jocular when close combat 'is' the reality.

Rating: Null/10 (17 December 1998)

The movie's essence was delivered by one of the German soldier's comments after taking the building [in Stalingrad], "....62 men left out of 400." Expensive real estate which, as in so many other conflicts regardless of uniform, has its costs in blood. Stalingrad shows the gut wrenching non-glory side of the nitty-gritty of combat and brings home to those who have been there the non guffaw when you hear, and see, how one soldier loads both his weapon...and his pants. Stalingrad shows well the realities of close combat and what the cumulative experience can do and often does to the human psyche. I would concur with the other reviewers in terms of Stalingrad incorporating the best, that is to say, the reality of Das Boot and Platoon 'sans' the hype when the business at hand becomes one of your basic kill or be killed. 'Side' aside as it were.