AMERICAN CULTURAL IMPERIALISM

Rating: Null/10 (26 April 2000)

Once again Hollywood produces a WWII movie in which the US wins the war single-handed. Despite the director's denials this film is based on the true story of U-110 which was captured by the British destroyer Bulldog on May 9th 1941 - several months before the US entered the war. The cracking of the German Enigma codes was in fact a joint Polish-British success. The danger of films such as this and Saving Private Ryan is the way in which they distort history in order to satisfy America's desire to feel good about itself. By ignoring the historical facts this film does a disservice to the bravery and sacrifice of those who did serve in the North Atlantic. It isn't good enough to say that this is just harmless entertainment - it concerns real military history in which real people lost their lives.