U-571 (2000)

Chief Klough: You're the skipper now. And the skipper always knows what to do whether he does or not.


Ok, I would like to put a few things at the beginning of this review.


1. I know that it was the British who found the original Enigma coding machine.  Cause, ya know, of the credit that the film makers gave at the end of the movie.


2. When doing research on this movie, I discovered I have a bone to pick with the director, Jonathan Mostow.  Apparently, in April of 2000 Mostow is quoted as saying that the movie 'Das Boot' is based on a lie.  Errrr......Clearly Mostow does not realize that the movie 'Das Boot' is based on the book 'Das Boot' which was written by a German war correspondent who spent time on a U-Boat.  *Sigh*  Really?


Moving on...


This is not meant to be a movie telling a specific story or piece of history.  Its meant to be exactly what it is.  A taut, well paced action movie.  With a heck of a cast (Paxton!  Jovi! Keitel! Mcconaughey!), it delivers.


Basically, you've got a US sub that is disguised as a German re-supply boat so they can take over a damaged U-Boat to crack the German Enigma code.  Needless to say, all does not go according to plan.  The US sub is torpedoed by the real German resupply boat, and the survivors gather on the U-571.  The remainder of the movie is taken up by the survivors trying to evade a German destroyer that has come to investigate.  Through some inventive planning, the crew is able to escape the destroyer,but the U-571 is lost.


I give it 4/5 depth charges.