Everything is external, but there is a lot of action and tension. **1/2 out of ****.

Rating: 6/10 (11 May 2000)

U-571 / (2000) **1/2
"U-571" begins with heroic rescues and by the end, lives will be sacrificed, damage will be costly, and everything concludes in a nice sequence as the film's survivors are rescued in the presence of a beautiful sunset. Any movie with a formulaic opening and conclusion like the above lacks thought and originality; this film takes place deep within the sea, but everything else about it is surface shallow. "U-571" contains many enormous explosions, artistic set designs, tense moments of sheer silence, boisterous battle sequences, non-glorifying shutouts, and memorable camera techniques. Director Jonathan Mostow establishes the film's action to create focused and exhilarative excitement, but he is unable to form depth and intensity within the characters. Their dialogue is not profound or meaningful like the material in "The Hunt for Red October" or "Crimson Tide." There are few internal conflicts to develop personalities or heart; everything is external. Only a handful of scenes in the entire movie have much of an impact at all. But like "The Hunt for Red October" and "Crimson Tide," this production has an enormously believable submarine atmosphere. I liked the movie's appearance and its tension filled moments in deep, dark aquatic zones. Even then, however, there are nothing memorable. The characters lack emotional development as well. There is Lt. Andrew Tyler (Matthew McConaughey), who feels he is ready to command a submarine, and Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren (Bill Paxton), who believes Tyler is courageous and determined, but is not willing to sacrifice others in the line of duty. American U-boat crew supporting roles go to Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Jake Weber, Jack Noseworthy, David Keith, and Terrence "T.C." Carson. These characters, living in the early 1940s, are summoned to capture the German Enigma Code, which allows the foreigners to communicate their U-boats without alerting the Allies. The German submarines in the North Atlantic are causing trouble. Thus the US Navy team hijacks their ship and kills all enemies on board, only to have their own sub blown sky high by another German battleship. Although this proposition develops the German circumstances, American motives, and briefly introduces each character, the movie takes a lengthy amount of time to set all this up. In its effective ways, the audience becomes concerned for the Americans, and the action scenes are involving, but the story simply has no where to go after achieving its premise. After the Navy crew members become stranded aboard the enemy submarine, the movie represents situation after situation involving noisy combat and shouting characters. Such characters are well acted, especially Matthew McConaughey's. This fine young actor captures Tyler with a clear perspective challenging the audience and creating interest with other characters. Harvey Keitel also performs with dramatically correct intensity. Jack Noseworthy ("Even Horizon," "Breakdown") and the rest of the supporting cast offer strong secondary performances, although most of these characters are simple minded and one-dimensional. However, even some of Hollywood's most famous names cannot recover a frivolous script by Jonathan Mostow. Mostow is a talented filmmaker; his last production was "Breakdown," the tantalizing thriller starring Kurt Russell and a broken down car. Maybe this filmmaker is better off with his feet on the ground rather than in the water.