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 enlarge | Actors: Matthais Habich, Ed Harris, Bob Hoskins, Eva Mattes, Ron Perlman
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
Buy Used: $0.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  375 reviews
Sales Rank: 3386
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 131
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.5
MPN: 097363386247
ISBN: 0792172760
UPC: 097363386247
EAN: 9780792172765
ASIN: B00003CXRA
Theatrical Release Date: 2001
Release Date: August 14, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Frozen Firestorm. April 11, 2005
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Undoubtedly Jean-Jacques Annaud is an unconventional director. With only ten films done up to this moment he has managed to impact the audience more than once.
His movies in brief: "Black & White in Color" (1976) won the Best Foreign Film Oscar, "Quest for Fire" (1981) French Cesar Award and Academy of Sci-fi Award, tell the story of a cave-man in search of fire, with only grunts and growls. "The Name of the Rose" (1986), "The Bear" (1988) and the controversial "The Lover" (1992) completes his works.
In "Enemy at the Gates" (2001) he delivers a realistic and shocking recount of the Battle for Stalingrad based on true facts and followed mainly from the Soviet side of the fence.
The story follows Vassili Zaitsev the green unarmed recruit ejected into Stalingrad thru his steady transformation into the Soviet Master Sniper, worshiped as a demigod by his comrades and feared by his enemies.
This transmutation happens thru the odd relationship between Zaitsev and Commissar Danilov, who manipulates the hero for propagandistic effect and to enhance his own career.
The future Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is also an important character as he is the ruthless Commanding Political Commissar that terrorizes his own people to force them to bear the unbearable.
From the German side another Master Sniper is launched to search and destroy Zaitsev.
From here on a gory tragic ballet starts its dance thru the ruins, each sniper being alternatively hunter or prey until the end.
The reconstruction of the battle with the aid of modern computerized techniques is impeccable. The Stukas plunging over the crowded ferries and boats is a hair-rising scene. The ruined city, the house to house combat, the catacomb like passages, famine, numbing cold, everything is present with accurate detail.
Playacting is very good. Jude Law as Zaitsev is very accurate he puts up a mixture of naiveté, stubbornness and tenderness that give deepness to his character. Bob Hoskins as Khrushchev and Joseph Fiennes are great. Special mention must be done for Ed Harris as the German sniper and Rachel Weisz as Tania Chernova, Vassili's friend, lover and war-mate.
It is very good WWII movies do not miss it!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
 Uneven Historical Epic April 3, 2005
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
An underexplored WWII chapter, the battle for Stalingrad, is interestingly examined in this big budget epic...notable for its spectacular battle scenes and another pitch perfect performance from the gifted Jude Law.
Unfortunately, the screenplay follows in the footsteps of TITANIC and PEARL HARBOR by tossing in the obligatory Hollywood "love triangle" (scored by James Horner, you often think the iceberg might be just around the next corner) which doesn't work, in spite of Law and the excellent Rachel Weisz.
Top billed Joseph Fiennes is out of his element and can't keep up with his two main costars. His scenes with Bob Hoskins, who seems to channel Kruschev by way of Danny Devito, are similarly lackluster. Ed Harris, who looks every bit the part of a Nazi aristocrat, looks like he's more concerned about why he's speaking with an American accent than he does about finding his prey. The accents, incidentally, range from Midwestern to Cockney to Ye Olde English to unintelligible (Ron Perlman) ...everything under the sun, except German or Russian: the nationalities of all the characters.
The intellectual and charismatic director, Jean-Jacques Annaud, was apparently trying to be all things to all people and the result is a mediocre movie worth watching if only for the battle scenes and Law/Weitz performances.
The DVD offers no particularly interesting special features. Given the fact that such an important episode in WWII history has been under exploited by Hollywood, a director or historian's commentary track would have been welcome.
 Deflated historical context April 2, 2005
4 out of 9 found this review helpful
This is maybe the most disappointing film by Annaud. Great history deflated to a boring love blahblah on war background in embarassingly badly crafted décor - reminds of Spartacus movies of the 50ies or the first Star Trek serials with plastic rocks flying around. Very listless. Dully played by most of the actors. If something is mud and dirty - must be Russian. Annaud proves this beautiful attitude once again.
PS: There seems to be a double plot - Tania must have been a German spy or something, as the sort of pants she wears (or undresses) never have existed in wartimes Soviet Union. And some more other false impressions and details.
 the eastern front - the REAL reason why Germany lost March 20, 2005
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Not seeing much of the Eastern Front portrayed in movies, I found it fascinating. I mean, both countries fighting are ruthless and aggressive and basically run by evil men. It's weird, we usually see good versus bad in war movies like this (meaning, America vs Whoever Else), so it was hard to take my eyes away from fighting armies who have no regard for human life on either side. Not that this is what the movie is REALLY about. We all know it's about sniper versus sniper, and I agree with the other reviewer that it's about the PEOPLE involved, how they deal with existing in a surreal war environment like this. What drags the movie a little IS the romantic subplot, but the other subplot about the German sniper and the Russian boy was actually very interesting. Not the greatest war movie, but certainly fresh and much needed. Whenever I watch it playing on a movie channel, I can't take my eyes off it. I suppose I should buy the DVD.
wonderful duel, in the context of war-torn Stalingrad February 21, 2005
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a really good film of a talented fighter, Zaitsev, who is chosen as a tool of political propaganda in a desperate era. The acting is wonderful, from Law as the hero, Fiennes as the political propagandist and Hoskins as Krushchev, to Ed Harris as the sensitive and hoghly talented villain/sniper. I have watched this, utterly rivetted, several times these last months, and my fascination with the historical period and characters is undiminished.
Warmly recommended.
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