Enemy at the Gates

On a Scale of 1-10 with 10 Being the Best

Overall: 3

Courtesy of Buzzfeed

Plot: This film is about two snipers on opposing sides during WWII. One of the snipers is a Russian soldier, Vassili Zaitsev (played by Jude Law). The other sniper is German snipe, Major Konig (played by Ed Harris). This movie is based off of the true story of Vassili Zaitsev, who is the best sharp shooter the Russian Soviet Army has known. It was interesting for me, an American, to watch as I knew that America had fought both Russia and Germany during WWII and eventually, Russia did become part of the Allies. The movie was informational as you realized just how desperate both sides were to take Stalingrad. It was also NOT that informational as I learned that most of this movie wasn't historically accurate. Another problem with this movie is that it draaaaaaaaaaaggggggeed on. This story takes over two years. TWO YEARS. It is a lot of waiting, shooting once, missing, waiting, and so on. I would probably watch this on TV if there was nothing else on but wouldn't own it or rent it. Not a lot of dialogue (which I dislike) but if you like action/war/shooting movies, you might like it. I do like action movies, hence the "meh" rating. 

Characters/Actors: Of Note 

Jude Law playing Vassili Zaitsev: I think that his portrayal was very well done. Casting was spot on from other sources that a have read. This character was believable as an uneducated man but played him as sort of a sensitive quiet guy. Probably, so the audience would like him more. Vassili was not like that though. He became a sniper teacher in the Russian army and was stated as being very harsh with his students, including his own girlfriend, Tania (In reality he did not marry her as he thought she had died, married another, then found out that she had lived). I thought the level of emotion worked well with the movie though as did his friendship with Danilov. Well done Jude Law!

Ed Harris playing Major Konig: My first thought of Ed Harris was that he had done a wonderful job. It wasn't until I accidentally read another review (I was trying to find autobiographies on these people) that I changed my mind. It stated that there was an issue with Ed Harris being so heartless. He would not look at fellow hurt soldiers but would do a terrible act to a child, which are contradicting actions. Overall though, I thought he played a tactful and a cold-blooded soldier well. There was even a scene where we understand how he earned one of his medals. I thought it and he were a nice touch. There is evidence that this character was real but there is not much information on him so that touching moment may have been crap. 

Joseph Fiennes playing Commisar Danilov: His friendship with Vassili was great. It thought it was quite genuine and for that I liked his character. The love he had for Tania was a bit excessive to the point of creepy. He tries looking down her shirt, multiple times wants to transfer her to his division (and at one point does), and when she doesn't choose him he loses his mind. It sounds like this guy should be hated but his character was rather passive most of the time, so I never took him as a threat. Which was the point. Most of the other soldiers and even the townspeople kind of shrug of Danilov as he doesn't ever really fight. He's in charge of the propaganda and is boosting Russian moral. He is no hero in more than one way but he still is a large help. Joseph did a fine job acting as Danilov; it's too bad that I never had the chance to love him as a character. It's also a bummer that Commisar Danilov was a totally fictional character but may have been based on General Yuri Danilov. 

Rachel Weisz playing Tania:  This character was a real person that Vassili did date. The romance was real and so was the fact that she was a good soldier. They left out the bit where this girl was TICKED at German soldiers. She wanted them all dead as they had killed most of her family. The girl Rachel Weisz acted along the same route as the other characters as she showed sad emotional sides of herself. Personally, I would have liked to see Tania Chernova, the girl who referred Germans as "sticks" as she would "break them." That would have been a completely different person as was depicted in the movie. This character was mainly in the story for a love triangle bit, which did not occur in reality. That is what really bummed me out about Tania, as her portrayal was mostly fictional even though she was a real person. I thought Ms. Rachel Weisz did well as an actress but wish the script writers weren't so sexist as they made this cold-blooded killer into a weaker love interest. 

Music: I did enjoy the music in this movie. There was definitely a specific tune that, when heard, the listener would realize it was from Enemy at the Gates. There was a moment I worried that the music might be overbearing or not enough but it quickly passed. At times I didn't notice the music as it fit with the film to the point that it merely blended in with the screen and sound effects. Good on you James Horner!

Camera Work/Cinematography: The colors grey and green were used often. This gave the mood effect of being dreary and sad; since this is a war movie the colors worked well. The end scene where Vassili is in the hospital with Tania could have used close-ups. The slow motion worked well in the film as did the camera angles. Very well done. 

RECAP TIME: 

It's another war movie. Nothing really too new if you payed attention in your History classes. I did find watching two enemies, where one wasn't American, to be different and that I did like. Camera work, effects, and colors were well used as was the music. The historical inaccuracies were a bother as was the pace of the film. It moved at the pace of this animal. 

If there is a movie you want me to critique, comment below!