An underrated “masterpiece” war movie with an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Movie lovers should not miss this one as those who have already seen the film praise it for being an intense and often suspenseful adaptation of World War 2.
The film has received rave reviews from iMDB users, hailing it as one of the best war films around. Enemy at the Gates stars Jude Law and Ed Harris. Now streaming on Amazon Prime, it only just scraped back its budget at the box office, making $97million after it was made for $68million. Those who remember the 2001 war picture, based on the William Craig non-fiction book, Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad, are strongly recommending that people tune in.
One person wrote on iMDB: “Failed to amaze me as why this had no Oscar nominations? This is a brilliant film, A masterpiece!!”
Another added: ” I really loved this film. It is one of the best movies about war – what it is like, and what causes it. I know some people find the love story hard to take, but it is there to illustrate how jealousy and envy can lead to irrational acts, hate, and even war.
“At a time when the world is racing toward armed conflict yet again, this film is a timely reminder of the ultimate futility of war. The opening sequence is one of the most horrific I have ever seen – comparable to that incredible opening scene in Saving Private Ryan.
“But unlike Saving Private Ryan, this film does not become a flag-waving one-sided analysis of war. Instead we get an in-depth, and very moving, look at the reality of being human in a war situation – whether male or female, German or Russian.
“And Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz and Ed Harris all give superb performances. I was a bit hard-pressed, though, to believe Bob Hoskins as Krushchev.”
A third added: “I must have watched this movie more than 10 times and every time I have started liking it even more. First half hour of the movie is as stunning (or horrifying) as can be for a war movie, with young soldiers just out of their teens, moving towards an unknown destination, unaware of their fate/destiny, most of the times even unaware of the cause they are fighting for, forced to fight an enemy with superior arms.”
Enemy at the Gates is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Military historian David R. Stone said he had seen an increase in interest for World War 2 history following the release of the film.
He said at the time: “Enemy at the Gates has at the very least boosted the number of my students who drop by the office to ask questions about Stalingrad. I only wish it had done a better job of giving them good answers.”