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Taut and gripping, U-571 follows the exploits of a fictional team
of World War II U.S. submariners who undertake a secret mission to
capture a German Enigma machine to decode German documents.
Writer-director Jonathan Mostow (Breakdown) tells an intense,
economical tale, reminiscent of the best classic war films, while
infusing it with modern sentiments.
Spring 1942: A crew of young submarine sailors are on a
much-needed 48-hour liberty when they're suddenly called together
and engaged in an expedition. At the helm are Lieutenant Commander
Mike Dahlgren (Bill Paxton), Lieutenant Andrew Tyler (Matthew
McConaughey), and Chief Klough (Harvey Keitel). Other pivotal crew
members include Tyler's Annapolis pal Lieutenant Pete Emmett (Jon
Bon Jovi, proving his acting mettle) and Lieutenant Hirsch (Jake
Weber), who, along with Marine Major Coonan (David Keith),
organizes the mission. As much of the movie takes place in a
submarine during WWII, there are inevitable comparisons with the
technical masterpiece Das Boot, but Mostow's masterfully shot tale
can hold its own.
McConaughey's Tyler is believably earnest as he comes to grips
with the reality, tragedy, and consequence of being in command.
While this explosion-filled film consistently maintains its tense
pace (as did the underrated Breakdown), it also presents with
surprising restraint a genuine human story--and the remarkable
journey of an unexpected hero. --N.F. Mendoza
Credits:
Actors:
Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, Tom Guiry, Thomas
Kretschmann
Format: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DTS
Surround Sound, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
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