Entertaining as popcorn fodder, laughable as history lesson

Rating: 6/10 (26 May 2013)

U-571 irked many in Blighty, and with good reason. Seeing Hollywood give credit to the US for British actions goes beyond disrespectful. Sheepishly, the film even admits it's all bogus by telling us so with a caption at the end.
Even if we took it as a fictionalised World War II story, it's still difficult to take seriously, as it trots out the usual submarine clichés, and throws realism to the sharks.
But, if we view this as simply a throwback to flag-waving propaganda films, and as popcorn fodder, it does entertain on that level. It's well-paced, the effects are impressive, production design is impressive, and some scenes will have you on the edge of your seat.