Clunky Sub Action Pic, But Still Fun

Rating: 3/10 (10 December 2002)

You have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy this film... it requires a "dumbing down" of the critical faculties. I've been reading many comments here regarding the historical inaccuracies, and they may be true, but I don't care. If you watch this as a documentary, you will be historically mis-informed. Just enjoy the action.
There are plenty of quibbles here beyond the history: the ship models aren't that great, the casting could have been better, the brief conversations regarding Matthew McConaughey's growth into a leadership role seemed one-sided. Then, with two sentences from Crew Chief Harvey Keitel, the Exec is transformed into a great sub commander.
But there's plenty of action, so much that you may find yourself saying "Gosh, what the heck ELSE could happen to these hapless bums?" Lots and lots of explosions, sparks, flames, bursting pipes. An especially effective scene was when the Americans are unable to read any of the labels on the guages on the German sub. That's like a nightmare most of us have had at one time.
This movie is the doofus-y little brother of films like "Das Boot" and "Hunt For Red October". It's a cheap thrill, so enjoy it for what it is; don't hold it to too high a standard.