Barnes & Noble

A sober, thoughtful, non-jingoistic World War II movie, Enemy at the Gates views the last century's bloodiest conflict from a different perspective and tells a remarkably absorbing story based on actual people and events. It takes place in 1942 during the siege of Stalingrad, which finds poorly supplied Russian soldiers mounting a valiant defense against relentless and overwhelming Nazi forces. Jude Law stars as a young Russian sniper whose unerring marksmanship claims the lives of innumerable German officers and thus makes him an invaluable asset to the propaganda machine run by Joseph Fiennes. Ed Harris plays a celebrated Nazi officer, also a distinguished marksman, sent to Stalingrad and charged with eliminating the now-legendary Soviet sniper before he can further demoralize the invaders. Writer-director Jean-Jacques Annaud (The Name of the Rose) dramatizes the Russian resistance with a documentarian's zeal, painstakingly noting the privations endured by Stalingrad's defenders. The suspenseful cat-and-mouse game between Law and Harris is skillfully developed, as is a romantic subplot in which Law and Fiennes compete for the affections of gorgeous Rachel Weisz. Enemy at the Gates never flinches when presenting war's horrors, but it acknowledges the essential humanity of the combatants on both sides -- an achievement that makes Annaud's film one of the very best of its type. The DVD edition includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast and crew interviews, additional scenes, and theatrical trailers. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A turning point in 20th century war history is the focus of this fact-based account of the 1942-1943 battle of Stalingrad, in which the Germans were finally defeated by Russian influence -- one of the bloodiest battles in World War II history. The film stars Jude Law as Vassili, a marksman from the Urals who is transported to Stalingrad in 1942, and a master German sniper, Major Koenig (Ed Harris). Koenig, an expert German sniper, is determined to eliminate his formidable opponent by any means necessary; meanwhile, Vassili has joined forces with Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), a young Russian political adversary, who is impressed by Vassili's skills and raises his profile in the Soviet Union. Both Vassili and Danilov become involved with Tanya (Rachel Weisz), whose Jewish parents have been captured by the Germans and have forced her to take up with the men on a sniper expedition. Koenig and Vassili begin to develop traps for each other, until fate inevitably must bring the two sharpshooters together. This large-scale production, financed mostly by Teuton companies, also features Bob Hoskins as Nikita Krushchev and Ron Perlman as an aging Russian sniper. Jason Clark

Hollywood Reporter

A considerable achievement, a thinking man's war movie with a more compelling story than that of Saving Private Ryan. Kirk Honeycutt

Product Details

• UPC: 097361429144
• Source: PARAMOUNT
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Subtitled, Dubbed
• Time: 2:11:00
• Sales Rank: 25,615

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Enemy at the Gates/Uncommon Valor

Features: