Almost a WWII era propaganda movie

Rating: 5/10 (25 May 2003)

(major spoilers ahead)
Based on a true story, it is the plan to get hold of the German code machine Enigma by capturing it from a U-boat. This feat was actually pulled off by the British Navy by scuttling a sinking sub already abandoned by its crew. But as this is a US movie Hollywood takes over : the boarding party becomes entirely US and movie turns into some high adrenalin but ludicrous adventure caper.
U-571 is very reminiscent to those propaganda movies made during WWII to boost morale. It's got all the simplistic ingredients and stereotypes: on the one hand you have the Germans : Nazi b*****ds all single one of them, either fanatics or cowards, and ofcourse very lousy shots. Just to make case in point that they are no good , at the very beginning of the movie, they machinegun a lifeboat full with survivors of a just torpedoed cargo.
On the other hand the US sub crew : resourceful, smart, brave, self-sacrificing, multicultural (even including a black cook) and above all : they can hit anything, no matter the odds.
The basic premise may ring true historic wise, the rest of the movie is ludicrous. Just imagine this : the US crew, down to about half a dozen, manning a crippled German sub, succeed in sinking another U-boat and a German destroyer ! This would even be deemed too wild by WWII propaganda standards. So as for sheer accuracy and credibility the script is sub (haha)-zero . Even the assault to capture the U-boat is ridiculous, attacking with mere handguns through the various parts of the submarine while Jerry is waiting for them with machineguns.
I also have to admit I couldn't care much for the American crew, except for David Keith as a though OSS-officer, but he gets sadly offed mid-picture. Matthew McNaughty is pretty annoying as the leader, so it is a 'controlled' Harvey Keitel, as the CPO, who is the most likeable of the characters.
I will admit though that U-571 is rather fast-paced and reasonably well directed so during the movie you tend to forget most of the improbabilities. So director Jonathan Mostow, who also co-scripted and produced, does an above average job, but if it was sufficient to hand him the job to helm `Terminator III' remains to be seen.
Many reviewers refer to the Germanmade `The Boat' as the prime example of the quintessential submarine movie. An excellent choice undoubtedly, but let me (as also IMDb does) point to a US flick from the fifties: `The Enemy Below' which starred Robert Mitchum and Curd Jurgens and was directed by actor Dick Powell. This is a solid and realistic account of a duel on the high seas between a US destroyer and a U-boat . It stays clear of the usual clichés and Nazi stereotyping (quite an achievement for US movie from 1957) and builds up to a very exciting climax.
Conclusion : U-571 is fairly entertaining until you begin to see through the enormous plot holes and the sheer incredibility of the whole thing.