This year's forget-your-troubles flick

Rating: Null/10 (12 July 2000)

With the success of "Saving Private Ryan" a couple of years ago, is it any wonder that a resurgence in World War II-themed adventures would result? One of the first to arrive is this very serviceable underwater yarn, an entertaining fictionalization of Allied submariners attempting to obtain a coveted decoding device from a disabled German submarine. Matthew McConaughey anchors an earnest cast through the rigors of a dangerous mission fraught with machine gunfire, torpedos and (lots and lots of) depth charges. "U-571" is loaded with all the technical innovations of modern Hollywood: utterly meticulous production design, convincingly claustrophobic cinematography and near-deafening 6-track sound effects. Thematically, though, it owes more than a tip of a hat to the flurry of exercises in American propaganda in the 1940s and 50s than the more multi-layered contemporary submarine blockbusters like "Das Boot", "The Hunt For Red October" and even "Crimson Tide". Which is not to say "U-571" isn't worthwhile on an escapist front. But for every bonafide thrill it has to offer, sacrifices are made in the 'minor' departments: subtext, character development, and any opportunity to examine the folly of war itself. But once in a while, though, it's 'okay' to leave your moral thinking cap at home. Just don't forget to bring your ear plugs.