The frame is nice, but the picture in it is far from a masterpiece

Rating: 6/10 (25 August 2012)

I like WWII movies because they (like all other war movies) bring with themselves a lot of effort in cinematography and costume design, deliver action and drama etc.. This one doesn't fail in that, it is a good war movie with a good cast, fairly believable main story and good old submarine atmosphere. There is something about submarine movies which will always be appealing. The tension, the distance from the rest of the world, the fear which underlines every operation under water. All in all this movie had a good setting, what I referred in the title as "the frame". The final package is still far from impressive, it delivers too much action and too little subtlety. Some scenes are too excessive and far from real, like every scene where lots of bullets are fired inside the submarine. And the ending had too much of a cliché. But the main problem for me is the main character played by Matthew McConaughey. I feel it's an obvious miscast, he is too young and far too little imposing to be a convincing submarine captain. Of course, this is a part of the plot and it is intended, but I still feel the movie lacks the subtlety and seriousness because of it. Matthew is a good actor, but not for this type of role.