Submarine movies come along now and again, the best that spring to mind are Hunt For Red October and Crimson Tide and U-571 is another enjoyable film to add to the list.
Set during World War II, U-571 is a fictional tale inspired by a series of events that happened during the Battle of the Atlantic. Many ships were being sunk by German U-boats in the Atlantic and the Allies were frustrated that they couldn’t decipher the coded messages that the Germans were sending each other.
So a US Navy sub is sent in to capture the enemy’s coding device which is known as “Enigma.” Posing as a German repair sub, the Americans board the crippled U-571 and after a bloody gun battle take it over and secure the Enigma device.
But the battle has only just begun as the submarine is in a dilapidated state and the crew have to try and get the enigma device back to HQ.
A very good cast helps elevate the story and keep you in suspense. Matthew McConaughey is Lt. Andrew Tyler who is pissed that he was not given the promotion he deserves but reluctantly has to take command as the older captain was killed during the takeover. Harvey Keitel is Chief Klough a veteran officer who puts loyalty above all else and also look out for singer Jon Bon Jovi in a small role as Lt. Pete Emmett.
While most of the story is nonsense, in reality, the Enigma capture and decoding occurred before the Americans even joined the War, which makes it totally fictional. It would have been nice to have had Alan Turing mentioned, the British man who cracked the Enigma code (Brilliantly played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the film The Imitation Game), but this still is a well-made thriller which coveys the claustrophobic nature of the job which these people had to endure. Just remember it is total Hollywood fiction.
The new 4K remastered Blu-Ray has a very good upgraded transfer, even if it is a little inconsistent from shot to shot. It does have strong black levels and overall has a great image.
The sound really does give your system a workout, with the underwater battles sounding amazing. Dialogue is clear and precise and the music score enhances the atmosphere.
Extras give you the following –
- Audio Commentary from Director Jonathan Mostow
– Behind the Scenes
– Featurette: Construction of U-571
– Featurette: Capture of U-110
– Interview with Jonathan Mostow
– Interview with Matthew McConaughey
– Interview with Jon Bon Jovi
– Interview with Bill Paxton
An enjoyable wartime romp if you can forget the fictional nature of the story, with good performances and decent battle scenes. (Also available in 4K UHD )
FILM – 7 PICTURE – 8 AUDIO -9 EXTRAS – 7
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