A Great World War II Movie

Rating: 8/10 (19 April 2000)

Historical accuracy aside (the British took the Enigma first in 1941), U-571 makes for one hell of an entertaining movie. Jonathan Mostow has crafted a wonderful film out of a story that combines several events from WWII. The men from a US Navy Submarine are commanded to board a German U-Boat, capture the Enigma (the coding device used to scramble German messages), and bring it back to the US. But, as expected, problems arise.
The film takes the atmosphere and tension from Das Boot and combines that with the action of terrific adventure films. Most of the members of the cast give excellent performances, especially Harvey Keitel (as cool as ever). The battle scenes are very well done and the special effects are magnificent. The only thing this film lacks is a commanding score. The music suits the film well in that it isn't obtrusive like the score from Mission to Mars. However, it doesn't leave you humming, which is what a good score should do.
Overall, U-571 is a very well made submarine thriller. The acting is good, the story is good, and the effects are great. A better score would have been nice, but with a movie this gripping, the music is the last thing on your mind.