Enemy at the Gates [2001] [DVD]

Enemy at the Gates opens with a pivotal event of World War II--the German invasion of Stalingrad--recreated in Saving Private Ryan-like epic scale as ill-trained Russian soldiers face German attack or punitive execution if they flee from the enemy's advance. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud captures this madness with urgent authenticity, creating a massive context for a more intimate battle waged amidst the city's ruins. Embellished from its basis in fact, the story shifts to an intense cat-and-mouse game between a Russian shepherd raised to iconic fame, and a German marksman whose skill is unmatched in its lethal precision. Vassily Zaitzev (Jude Law) has been sniping Nazis one bullet at a time, while the German Major Konig (Ed Harris) has been assigned to kill Vassily and spare Hitler from further embarrassment. There's love in this war, too, as Vassily connects with a woman soldier (Rachel Weisz), but she is also loved by Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), the Soviet officer who promotes his friend Vassily as Russia's much-needed hero. This romantic rivalry lends marginal interest to the central plot, but it's not enough to make this a classic war film. Instead it's a taut, well-made suspense thriller isolated within an epic battle, and although Annaud and cowriter Alain Godard (drawing from William Craig's book and David L Robbins' novel The War of the Rats) fail to connect the parallel plots with any lasting impact, the production is never less than impressive. Highly conventional but handled with intelligence and superior craftsmanship, this is warfare as strategic entertainment, without compromising warfare as a man-made hell on Earth. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

On the DVD: with a choice of Dolby 5.1 or DTS the sound is suitably spectacular (James Horner's Prokofiev-inspired score comes up well amid whizzing bullets and explosions), while the 2.35:1 anamorphic picture makes the best of the epic battle sequences. "Through the Crosshairs" is a standard 20-minute behind-the-scenes documentary, which is complemented by "Inside Enemy at the Gates", a 15-minute montage of interviews with the stars and director. There's also a 25-minute French-made documentary (with English subtitles) about the real battle that includes a short interview with the real Vassily Zaitsev. Eight brief deleted scenes can be played separately or neatly inserted into the movie by pressing Enter when the gun sight icon appears on screen. The commentary by director Jean-Jacques Annaud is as informative as might be expected from a director who always seems passionate about his film projects. Storyboards, posters, a trailer and filmographies round out an excellent disc package. --Mark Walker

DVD Special Features:
Director's Commentary
3 Documentaries
Deleted scenes
Filmographies
Story boards
Film posters
Theatrical trailer
Audio description
2.35:1 aspect ratio, widescreen 16:9 version
Language: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English Hard of Hearing

It's 1942 and the German and Russian armies are embroiled in one of the most momentous battles of WW2, the Battle of Stalingrad. Defeat at Stalingrad could hand Germany victory in Europe and Stalin has sent Kruschev (Bob Hoskins) to personally oversee the city's defence.

In another corner of the city Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), a political officer, encounters Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law), a simple soldier from the Urals who possesses an extraordinary skill, he is a first-class shot with an iron will. Danilov realises that Zaitsev could be moulded into exactly what Kruschev needs in order to boost troop morale.

Zaitsev joins a sniper unit and his dangerous missions are chronicled and embellished upon by Danilov and before long a hero is born. But while Zaitsev's glory rejuvenates others, Danilov becomes jealous of the man he created when they both fall in love with Tania (Rachel Weisz), a courageous comrade fighting in the ranks alongside them.

Eager to break the Russians' new found resistance the Germans draft in Major Konig (Ed Harris), their own celebrated sniper. As the battle wages on, these two lethal sharpshooters engage in their own personal deadly duel, stalking each other among the rubble of the symbolic city of Stalingrad.

Only English language is present, there is no German or Russian language track. Runtime is 125 minutes, not 131.