While it does have some solid moments of action, the film as a whole is laughable.
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 121
Fresh: 70
Rotten:51
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.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong graphic war violence and some sexuality
Runtime: 2 hrs 11 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Mar 16, 2001 Wide
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
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Release:
May 19, 2009
Blu-ray Disc Features:
- Region [unknown]
- NTSC
- Checkpoint
- Widescreen
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby True HD 5.1 - English, French, Spanish
- Subtitles - English - SDH
- Subtitles - English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Additional Release Material:
- Additional Scenes: Deleted Scenes
- Behind the Scenes: Inside Enemy at the Gates
- Featurette: Through the Crosshairs
Reviews for Enemy at the Gates
Flatulent hero-worship of a man played by a tired-looking actor who deserves funkier roles.
There's never much risk of reality intruding--just a lot of histrionic James Horner music nd plenty of designer stubble on the soldiers' faces.
Annaud shows a real knack for suspense here, enough to make me hope he will do more action-adventure in the future.
If only ambition was the bar at which to measure the quality of motion pictures, Enemy at the Gates could sit atop the best of the year.
Enemy at the Gates is a good movie that could have been great, if not for the inflated running time.
Time and again the movie feels like it's working toward a Hollywood moment but always retreats before succumbing to the opportunity.
Latest News for Enemy at the Gates
June 13, 2007:
Rachel Weisz to Star in Peter Jackson's "Lovely Bones
Remember when everyone was wondering why Rachel Weisz declined to be in the third "Mummy" movie? Here's why. More...
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