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"'U'
Really Got a Hold On Me"
by Scott Mantz
"U-571"
Matthew McConaughey,
Harvey Keitel
Directed by Jonathan Mostow
War movies sure
aren't what they used to be. Over the past 2 decades, filmmakers
have gotten so serious about capturing the harsh realities of war,
that they've forgotten all about simply entertaining people. That
approach may have worked just fine with disturbing Vietnam-era flicks
like "Apocalypse Now", "The Deer Hunter", and "Coming Home", but
even the normally gung ho pictures about World War II have gotten
the realistic makeover, thanks to the ultra-serious "Saving Private
Ryan" and "The Thin Red Line". While these pictures are certainly
important, it still makes you wonder whatever happened to the good
ol' days--when war movies were, you know, fun. Well, those days
are back, thanks to the fast and furious "U-571". While the film
lacks plenty in the character study department, it more than makes
up for it by being an old-fashioned potboiler that's jam-packed
with lots of edge-of-your-seat thrills and nail-biting excitement.
It's the spring
of 1942. The Nazis have the upper hand in World War II, thanks to
those menacing U-boats that are terrorizing Allied ships in the
North Atlantic. It's up to the crew of the American submarine S-33,
led by Lt. Comdr. Mike Dahlgren (Bill Paxton), to save the day.
Their mission is to pose as German soldiers and infiltrate a Nazi
U-boat to steal the Enigma encoder, which will allow the Allies
to break the enemy's secret code and stay alerted to their plans.
Their mission is a success, but that's only the beginning. When
their ride home is destroyed by Nazi torpedoes, Lt. Andrew Tyler
(Matthew McConaughey) and his band of valiant survivors turn the
disabled U-boat into a lifeboat. They're deep in hostile waters,
and they have to overcome depth charges, enemy warships, and the
even the German language to get the Enigma encoder into the safe
hands of the Allies.
When it comes
to submarine movies, it doesn't get much better than Wolfgang Peterson's
1981 masterpiece "Das Boot". At more than four hours long, the film
realistically captured the claustrophobic feel of the creaky, leaky,
cramped submarines that the German crews had to endure for months
on end. The close quarters and the intensity of death lurking at
every turn weighed heavily on their minds, drawing the audience
in on their hell-in-a-tuna-can lifestyle. "U-571" doesn't quite
match the psychological intensity of that film, but it's obvious
that director Jonathan Mostow was clearly influenced by it. Just
like he did in 1997's little-seen "Breakdown", he once again shows
a remarkable flair for action-packed intensity that never lets up.
This particular U-boat takes more hits than the Starship Enterprise
during a Romulan attack, causing the machinery to break down so
many times that you can't help but wonder where Scotty is when you
need him.
As far as World
War II movies are concerned, "U-571" is no "Saving Private Ryan".
Then again, it's not trying to be. It's more akin to the classic
patriotic movie that basked in the glory of the brave soldiers who
fought in the name of freedom. While the film is not exactly a true
story, it does draw it's basic premise from actual events. German
U-boats were indeed commandeered by Allied forces for their decoding
devices, but it was the Brits who were the victorious freedom fighters--not
the Yanks portrayed here. Whether it's a stretch of creative license
or not, it still makes for a fun ride.
Of course, the
main star of the film is the dysfunctional submarine--not the actors
who man the controls. This is not exactly the type of film that
will get noticed for its groundbreaking performances, but that's
Hollywood. Matthew McConaughey and his group of hip young soldiers,
including Erik Palladino (from TV's "ER"), Jake Weber, and Jon Bon
Jovi (yes, you read right!) spend most of their time screaming "Dive!
Dive! Dive!" and bracing themselves for the aftershocks of exploding
depth charges all around them. That intensity replaces what little
we know about these heroes. In fact, all we know about McConaughey's
character is that he was passed over for command of his own submarine
because he apparently wasn't ready to handle the responsibility.
In the end, he learns the ropes the hard way when he becomes the
reluctant commander of a broken down German U-boat, rising to the
occasion and proving himself along the way.
The real patriotism
goes to any man who would dare to venture into a rinky-dink hunk
of tin that looks like it had to be pushed along the water to reach
its destination. "U-571" may be a good time action movie, but it's
also a worthy tribute to the men (and women) who gave their lives
to not only go behind enemy lines, but to make the world safe for
democracy and freedom. U just can't help but be impressed and thankful
for their bravery.
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