U-571 (DVD) > Reviews

Advantages: realistic, action-packed, brilliantly directed
Disadvantages: if it were to be 100% fair, a British crew would feature as the heroes

Once again it is up to the British public to overcome any prejudices they may have as to the way “history has been re-written” by Hollywood to make the Americans look as heroic as possible. This has been done somewhat at the expense of the “Tommies”, who made by far the most valuable contributions to cracking the Enigma code machine (the central focus of this submarine scenario). “U-571” is much like “The ... Read review

Advantages: Good solid action/adventure
Disadvantages: Fact?

The premise for this film is good. They'd made some great factually based war films in the past. With modern effects and film making techniques this should be a winner...shouldn't it? With their 'unbreakable' codes, the German forces are winning the war - their navy rules the waves and their armies are battering Europe. When u-boat 571 is crippled in an attack, the US navy seizes it's opportunity to capture one of the prized Enigma cypher machines. ... Read review

Advantages: Scenery, Special effects, Sound effects
Disadvantages: Acting, Plot, historical "Inaccuracies", anti-German

...be able to approach the U-571 without arousing suspicion. They manage to locate the U-571 and even to capture it. But while Lt. Tyler and his special commando are waiting on the conquered U-571, another U-boat sinks their own submarine and almost the entire crew dies. Lt. Tyler, who’s in charge now after the death of Capt. Dahlgren, has to try to get the Enigma back, with his limited team and in a submarine they barely know. The critics From ... Read review

Advantages: Great action and affects
Disadvantages: Ripping off a true story and putting Americans in their place!

This fictional story tells us how the US Navy stole the German Enigma machine. For those people who do have not heard about this piece of machinery, I will explain. The Enigma machine was a secret German encryption device used during WW2, which the allies found bloody difficult to crack, and as a result lost thousands of lives, until it was finally cracked. The film stars Bill Paxton, Harvey Kietel and Matthew Mc Conaughey, and the story swings ... Read review

Advantages: There's water leaking in
Disadvantages: The sub's not full yet

...effort that was sunk into U-571 would have been better spent on something much more worthy and/or interesting, such as foodstuff for a guinea pig. G is for Get out of my house and do not darken my doorstep ever again, ye wasteful producers of PAP - why did you bother making such dross. H is for Harvey Keitel and one of the naffest ever of toothbrush moustaches, effectively making the said Keitel resemble nothing so much as an aged Adolf... Now, ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic action and excellent acting
Disadvantages: Occasional lapses of logic that servicemen may or may not care for.

U-571 is the latest in a string of World War Two pictures out of Hollywood recently, but it is the first Naval movie in quite some time. It's also one of the best, putting a lot more teeth into its action than its recent counterparts. U-571 details a submarine XO (executive officer) who's been recently turned down for a command of his own. Told that he's not ready for command by his direct superior, he's a bit disgruntled but carries on, being ... Read review

Advantages: Good Film, entertaining enought to watch
Disadvantages: Takes away from what actually happens in a typically Hollywood Movie

With the war effort hanging in the balance and the German navy controlling the Atlantic water ways the British and American armies need a breakthrough. So when a German Submarine is hit and left stranded on the American side of the Atlantic dividing line the opportunity to recover an enigma code machine is a must. The American's send a team in to recover the machine but they end up stuck on the German Sub in a race to friendly territory as the German ... Read review

Advantages:
Disadvantages:

...Hirsch & Co. can board U-571 and capture its Enigma decoder. Tyler, although barely less of a cipher than the other personnel in Mostow's story grid (Harvey Keitel as your generic Chief, T.C. Carson as a black mess-steward, Erik Palladino as an Italian-American wisecracker), will hope to be mistaken for a complex-enough character to undergo metamorphosis and become an officer worthy of a command assignment. Because, of course, he effectively gets ... Read review

Advantages: An exciting World War 2 action film.
Disadvantages: Dubious historical accuracy...

Firstly, I'd just like to say that this is my first review, and that advice is very welcome. I'll assume that anyone reading this review is aware of the debate that has sparked up over the "historical accuracy" of U-571. However, if I can put aside those arguements for just a moment to look at the film itself. The film is based on a fictional account of a raid by American Submariners to capture the top secret German Enigma coding machine. Facing ... Read review

Advantages: Action-packed, fast moving
Disadvantages: Historically inaccuarute - unchallenging fodder

...of the last few years, U-571 is pitched as a tribute to all the Allied troops who acted so bravely during World War 2 to recover secret communications equipment from the Nazi threat. The film was heavily criticised from the outset, in that the American production team had paid scant attention to historic detail - instead opting for a story geared towards the glory of the American Navy. Many war veterans were outraged at the lack of historic detail, ... Read review

Advantages: Rattling good yarn, transfers well to home cinema format.
Disadvantages: Gets up ex-RN types noses.

Since this is my opinion on the Region 2 DVD of U-571, I won’t go into any great detail over the plot of the movie, since, if you’re anything like me, you have probably seen it at the cinema, before deciding to add it to your DVD collection. For those who have money to burn on taking a chance, here is a (very) quick run-down of the story. U-571, (WW2 German sub) is crippled and drifting after mixing it with the Royal Navy, mid-Atlantic. ... Read review

Advantages: Great action, tension, acting and plot
Disadvantages: none

...point). Anyway a U-boat named U-571 has a run in with a British frigate and is left adrift. In the Atlantic. This U-boat is carrying the top secret Nazi coding device Enigma. The Americans the steal the Enigma so they can listen in to the Nazi plans. They must complete the mission without the Nazi knowing or the codes will be changed and it is back to square one. The plot is excellent and that is probably because it is true, well not the American ... Read review