I've read elsewhere that some of the main complaints with this film have to do with it being a rather run of the mill war film, and that it missed out on its potential, etc. I think that this is somewhat true in the first third of the movie, but after that it certainly becomes something extraordinary.
It's a German production of a ravaging battle fought between the Germans and the Soviets. There were other parties involved like Italians and Romanians, but you get the point. The first third or so of the film is rather cliche of the more graphic war film, but I don't think that's really a fair criticism seeing as this preceded (I think) the overly violent war film that came around in America after SPR. I'd say Spielberg was certainly influenced by this, as well. The violent parts are indeed extremely violent, but it's the times after this that push this one above the pack in terms of overall quality. You begin to get to know the soldiers more in depth, and you follow them as they fight for survival, by any means, though it is pretty hopeless. Sebastian Rudolph and Thomas Kretschmann turn in really fine performances along with really the rest of the cast.
I'd definitely say this was an anti-war film, like most are these days, but I think it goes a step further in dealing with almost every bad situation that goes hand in hand with war. It's not in the same league as the Russian masterpiece Come and See (Idi i smotri), but it does its job in chalking up the horrific parts of war. Hopefully some of the Germans here, at least, have seen it.
It's a German production of a ravaging battle fought between the Germans and the Soviets. There were other parties involved like Italians and Romanians, but you get the point. The first third or so of the film is rather cliche of the more graphic war film, but I don't think that's really a fair criticism seeing as this preceded (I think) the overly violent war film that came around in America after SPR. I'd say Spielberg was certainly influenced by this, as well. The violent parts are indeed extremely violent, but it's the times after this that push this one above the pack in terms of overall quality. You begin to get to know the soldiers more in depth, and you follow them as they fight for survival, by any means, though it is pretty hopeless. Sebastian Rudolph and Thomas Kretschmann turn in really fine performances along with really the rest of the cast.
I'd definitely say this was an anti-war film, like most are these days, but I think it goes a step further in dealing with almost every bad situation that goes hand in hand with war. It's not in the same league as the Russian masterpiece Come and See (Idi i smotri), but it does its job in chalking up the horrific parts of war. Hopefully some of the Germans here, at least, have seen it.
