It certainly looks the part of an important film, but inside it's not prepared to follow through on its grand ambitions.
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:123
Fresh:71
Rotten:52
Average Rating:5.8/10
Consensus: Atmospheric and thrilling, Enemy at the Gates gets the look and feel of war right. However, the love story seems out of place.
Runtime: 2 hrs 11 mins
Genre: Dramas
US Box Office: $50,507,533
Synopsis: September 1942. The German Army has advanced to the gates of Stalingrad. The Russian Army holds on desperately. It is so poorly equipped that every pair of soldiers is given a single rifle--the... September 1942. The German Army has advanced to the gates of Stalingrad. The Russian Army holds on desperately. It is so poorly equipped that every pair of soldiers is given a single rifle--the second man only gets the weapon when the first is cut down. Trapped in no man's land between the opposing armies, Russian recruit Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law) finally acquires a rifle from Political Officer Danilov (Joseph Fiennes). Danilov is astonished when Zaitsev picks off several German officers. On their return to the Russian lines, Danilov writes about Zaitsev's exploits in the army newspaper. Zaitsev is assigned to a sniper unit. He kills more German officers and, thanks to Danilov, becomes a hero. In retaliation, the Germans bring in sharpshooter Major König (Ed Harris) from Berlin--to hunt Zaitsev. The two snipers engage in a desperate duel, as the appalling Battle of Stalingrad rages. In ENEMY AT THE GATES, director Jean-Jacques Annaud uses a palate of dull greens, blues, and greys to tell the powerful, true story of Russian sniper Vassili Zaitsev. The film is distinguished by fine performances from Law, Fiennes, Rachel Weisz as a female soldier, and Bob Hoskins as Nikita Khrushchev--with Harris particularly notable as the chilly, aristocratic König. [More]
Starring: Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins
Starring: Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, Ed Harris, Ron Perlman
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Screenwriter: Jean-Jacques Annaud, Alain Godard
Producer: John D. Schofield, Jean-Jacques Annaud
Composer: James Horner
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Reviews for Enemy at the Gates
A movie that's likely to be its own worst enemy once audiences come into its cross hairs.
Enemy at the Gates doesn’t quite fall into the same league as classic war films.
Probably worth seeing for the sets, battle scenes, and the questions of patriotism and allegiance it raises early on.
Instead of the swelling score and big Drama, Ememy could have used a little Three Kings sardonicism.
With such a grim subject for a movie, one would expect the movie itself to be dark and grim, and it is.
Any flaws in execution pale against those moments when the film brings history to vital life.
Since the romance is handled with restraint, it doesn’t take away from the tension and it adds reasonably well orchestrated sentiment.
"Enemy at the Gates" gives its standoffs historical weight. It really does matter who wins, as the fate of Stalingrad rests in the balance.
What could have been an elaborate cat and mouse game quickly becomes a High Noon rip off.
Latest News for Enemy at the Gates
June 13, 2007:
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Remember when everyone was wondering why Rachel Weisz declined to be in the third "Mummy" movie? Here's why. More...
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