Greatest War Cinema Experience!

Rating: 10/10 (24 July 2010)

What is it that makes U-571 stand out amongst war movies such as Behind Enemy Lines, Saving Private Ryan or Pearl Harbor? Is it perhaps, the ensemble cast of top names such as Bill Paxton and Harvey Keitel? Is it the production design of the submarine ships themselves? Is it the lighting and cinematography? Or is it the gripping tale of the United States Navy securing the German Enigma? It's all of these things and none of them.
U-571 is charged and driven in a powerhouse action thriller. It's nothing short of extraordinary. It's the most amazing war film I've ever been a part of. Yes, part of -not just watched. U-571 is so authentic, thanks to an retired Admiral of submarining on set, that you feel a part of every explosion when a depth charge shakes the foundation of the submarine.
Production designer Wm Ladd Skinner should be commended for his ability to re-create the submarines and set design to make you feel claustrophobic as much as the actors in the scenes. Along with Oliver Wood's ability to capture the character of the film with a feeling of claustrophobic and unrelenting pressure for these characters.
Let's not forget writer-director Jonathan Mostow, who is truly a marvel director in my mind. He was inspired to write this fictional tale about historical facts by visiting a submarine. He was so fascinated that he created this movie. It's a masterpiece of a tale and while it's not based on or created from a true story, it has a lot of historical accuracies to it.
My most favourite part of this film is watching with the volume way up, the lights all off, and just experiencing the quietness of being in the submarine and just anticipating the characters actions. A ten second shot of Matthew McConaughey saying nothing and just looking simply terrified of those depth charges is amazing to watch. There is not one shot of this movie that is boring. It's paced so perfectly and each character is individually developed with perfection.
While no movie is perfect, U-571 comes intensely close to being a movie that is perfect. Short from model shots and some CGI effects that are somewhat obvious after multiple viewings, this movie is a perfect movie all around.
I can personally watch this movie over and over in a week's time and still not be bored nor sick of it. During it's action sequences, during it's quietness, during it's talking and development periods, this movie is an experience like no other film you've ever seen. If you like war movies, if you like being a part of a movie, you'll love U-571!