Starring Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Ed Harris, Bob Hoskins, Ron Perlman, Eva Mattes. Produced, co-written and directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. It's late 1942 during World War II, and the Nazis have laid siege to Stalingrad, a strategic industrial centre on Volga River in central Soviet Union. Young and terrified Soviet men are squished like sardines onto trains and dropped off at the Volga River and then herded by gun-toting and shouting officers onto boats to cross the river to the decimated and smoldering ruins of Stalingrad. When they arrive they are immediately sent into battle with only half receiving rifles, and charge the German lines in the city. In one such bloody exchange, young shepherd boy Vassili Zaitsev (Law) survives and hides himself among the dead bodies. Soon after a car races across the square and is shot down by German fire, and out rolls propaganda officer Danilov (Fiennes) who dives into the same mess of bodies as Vassili. They find themselves among several German officers and soldiers, but Vassili picks off each of them off one by one. Nikita Khrushchev (Hoskins) arrives in town to salvage the faltering Russian defence, and Danilov suggests they publish an army propaganda newspaper featuring Vassili to give the country hope. The German troops are steadily losing morale with the many sniper attacks, and bring their top marksman Major Konig (Harris) to hunt down Vassili and kill him. Weeks go by, with Vassili and the Soviet snipers steadily killing German troops, and Konig trying to draw Vassili out. Losses mount on both sides, and both Khrushchev and the German generals become impatient with their sniper's lack of success, as well as their own as the number of dead multiplies. Vassili Zaitsev was an actual Soviet sniper whose rifle is viewable today in a Stalingrad museum. In the neighbourhood of two million Germans and Soviets were killed in this six month battle, due in part to a personal grudge between Hitler and Stalin, two former allies before the war. The Germans wanted Stalingrad for both it's strategic and symbolic value. The Soviets wanted to keep the city with the boss's name - as Khrushchev says Stalingrad is "more than a city, it's a symbol" - and they believed if Stalingrad fell, the whole country would be lost. It's difficult not to compare this film with Saving Private Ryan in it's horrific depiction of war, and the Enemy At The Gates starts off very well, with inexperienced and frightened young men crossing the Volga River being shot at by enemy planes, bombs and their own army officers if they tried to jump ship and swim to safety. As soon as they get off the ship, the recruits are given one gun for every two soldiers and are forced to run in the open against well-armed and protected German lines in an insanely, suicidal attempt to force the Nazis back. And when the Soviet kids are cut down in droves, the remaining ones who retreat are executed by their own officers as they run back. Bodies and blood coat the streets. It is nearly as harrowing and well-executed as Saving Private Ryan, and like that film found, it is tough to sustain that intensity and momentum throughout the film. There are several high points in the film - when Danilov and Vassili first meet and Vassili begins his sniper career by picking off German officers near the Square, when Sasha's mom helps an injured Tania leave Stalingrad and leaves Sasha a note of love on the message board. The film concentrates on the slow-moving waiting game sniper match between Vassili and Konig, and their cat and mouse game does drag the story down at times. The use of young Sasha to feed information to Konig gives the plot some life, as we are not sure whether exactly Sasha and also Danilov are working for the Germans or not. The romantic triangle subplot involving Vassili, Danilov and Tania both adds to the story and sometimes doesn't totally fit what is going on around it. One of the key factors that makes the film work overall are the excellent performances of both Law and Harris. Law conveys a contrasting youthful naivete and wariness of the job his new celebrity has thrust upon him. Harris is regal and controlled, but also displays an understanding and respect for the enemy and the job they have to do - to him, it is not personal. Weisz has a small role, but is quite good as the intelligent, courageous Jewish women who has personal reasons in fighting the Nazis, despite her German studies background. The middle of the film is given a jolt of energy with the appearance of Ron Perlman as a toothless Soviet sniper who helps Vassili learn German army strategies - he is both funny and substantial in the role. Overall, Enemy At The Gate is a well-performed and interesting war drama, that works despite its flaws. If you would like to respond, please click the E-Mail Press Here To Go To The Review List Page