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Review
Archives
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Today's
Date is:
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Enemy
at the Gates
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Reviewed
by: |
Rachel
Hughes |
| Genre: |
Drama |
| Video: |
Anaorphic
Widescreen |
| Audio: |
Dolby
Digital 5.1 |
| Language: |
English
and French |
| Subtitle: |
English |
| Length: |
2hrs
11mins |
| Rating: |
R |
| Release
Date: |
8-14-01 |
| Studio: |
Paramount |
| Commentary:
|
None |
| Documentaries:
|
None |
| Featurettes:
|
"Through
the Crosshairs" and Inside Enemy at the Gates |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
None |
|
Interviews: |
None |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Original
Trailer |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
Yes,
9 deleted scenes |
| Music
Video: |
None |
| Other:
|
None |
| Cast
and Crew: |
Joseph Fiennes,
Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins and Ed Harris |
| Screenplay
by: |
Alain Godard
and Jean-Jacques Annaud |
| Produced
by: |
John D. Schofield and
Jean-Jacques Annaud |
| Directed
By: |
Jean-Jacques Annaud |
| Music: |
James Horner |
| The
Review: |
Set in Stalingrad
in 1942 "Enemy at the Gates" tells the gripping story of a duel
between two snipers set against the backdrop of one of the most
important battles in WWII. In 1942 the Nazis were sweeping through
Russia. Their last main obstacle was Stalingrad, and the Russian
people are not going to go easily. However they are woefully
under supplied. With the odds overwhelming against them, they
become dreadfully demoralized. In order to rally the troops
a political officer named Danilov (Fiennes) hits upon the idea
that the army needs a hero, someone to inspire them, and he
know just the man. An expert sniper Vassili (Law) becomes a
national hero taking out German officers left and right, as
well as winning the heart of a female resistance fighter (Weisz).
In retaliation, Germay sends its best sniper (Harris) to kill
him. As the war rages around them, two men fight for honor,
courage and the fate of their countries. With the lingering
effects of the cold war being felt well into the 80's, Hollywood
is just now getting around to mining the incredible stories
of Russian involvement during WWII. Until recently the Russian
battles were not treated with the same level of importance as
those of America and Britain. However when you look at the number
of men Russia lost and the lack of supplies it overcame it is
amazing to consider that the Russians met the allies in Berlin.
"Enemy at the Gates" is a superb, taught story that takes place
in the heart of the battle of Stalingrad. The action moves along
swiftly, and you quickly become swept up in the action. You
are outraged at the horrors these men and women had to face
not only at the hands of the enemy, but also by their own leaders.
However you are also inspired by their determination and how
their hope all centered on one young man. It is mind-boggling
when you think that the outcome of a war rested with the outcome
of a fight between two men. The acting is also top notch. It
features a mix of established actors and actors quickly rising
to the top. Everyone looks wonderful even though they are continually
covered in a layer of dirt. The only criticism of the film is
that everyone, the Russians and the Germans, speak with British
accents. Besides that the film is highly enjoyable. |
| Image
and Sound |
For such
a recent picture this transfer is near perfect. There aren't
any artifacts or grit on the print. For the colors of the film
they are mostly browns and grays. Much of the film looks as
though is has been slightly faded to keep with the tone of action.
However when colors are used they truly stand out. This is noticeable
of the red Russian flag, and most notable the brilliant blue
eyes of Law and Harris. Since much of the job of sniping is
done by sitting still, their eyes tell much of the story. The
stunning transfer makes sure none of the story is lost. The
sound is equally well done. During the opening battle you hear
the war rage around you on all sides. The 5.1 mix truly envelopes
you in the action. You feel the same despair and hopelessness
as the soldiers. During the sniper shots you can sometimes hear
bullets whizzing from one side of the room to the other. Throughout
the film the speakers are given a great workout. This movie
showcases the reason why you spent all that money on a top of
the line stereo system. |
| The
Extras |
For some
reason this movie did not do terribly well at the box office.
Whether it was due to poor timing, too little publicity, or
lack of interest by moviegoers I cannot tell. But this is a
pretty respectable package for a movie that just did okay at
the box office. The most interesting feature is entitled "Through
the Crosshairs." This is a featurette that lasts almost 20 minutes.
It features a fairly in-depth look at the making of the movie.
It has a brief history of the real life incident, covers casting,
set building, stunts, and snippets of interviews done with the
cast and crew. To accompany this is a briefer featurette, "Inside
Enemy at the Gates." This is mainly comprised of interviews,
but we do not hear the questions, just the cast's answers. To
round out the package there are 9 deleted scenes and the original
trailer. Most of the deleted scenes are brief, and you can tell
why they were left out of final cut. |
| Commentary |
None |
| Final
Words: |
For those
of you who missed this movie in the theaters, and I suspect
there are quite a few of you, you should definitely rent this
DVD. The picture and sound represent the whole reason why we
pay a bit extra for DVDs. There is a nice collection of behind-the-scene
information that adds another dimension to the film. It would
have been nice to have a documentary on the real events that
the movie is based on. However anyone who enjoyed the film should
check out the DVD. |
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