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U-571 Details

2000 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 3436 members

Faithful to the conventions of the World War II genre, Mostow's (BREAKDOWN) submarine thriller pays earnest homage to the pluck and determination of ordinary people forced to overcome extraordinary odds. The mostly young and inexperienced crew of the S-33 is deployed on a top secret, high-priority mission to intercept a .. Read more

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi
Director Jonathon Mostow
Genres Action/Adventure

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U-571

Faithful to the conventions of the World War II genre, Mostow's (BREAKDOWN) submarine thriller pays earnest homage to the pluck and determination of ordinary people forced to overcome extraordinary odds. The mostly young and inexperienced crew of the S-33 is deployed on a top secret, high-priority mission to intercept a disabled German u-boat (the titular U-571) and capture the ship's encryption system--the Enigma--in order to crack the Nazi's communication codes and hasten an allied victory in the North Atlantic. Racing against a German rescue effort, the S-33 stages a daring raid on the U-571. But after capturing the U-571, the Americans find themselves its prisoner as they must pilot the leaky, disabled vessel through hostile enemy waters. McConaughey (EDTV, DAZED AND CONFUSED) leads a strong cast (Keitel - HOLY SMOKE, Paxton - A SIMPLE PLAN) in this fast-paced, tense, submarine adventure.

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Jake Weber, Dave Power
Director Jonathon Mostow
Studio ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO
Run time DVD: 1 hr 56 mins
Blu-ray: 1 hr 51 mins
Certificate Certificate 12
Genres Action/Adventure
Language DVD: English
Blu-ray: English
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: 22 Jan 2001
Blu-ray: 02 Nov 2009
Production year: 2000
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (6) of U-571

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  • "...A rousing, old-fashioned submarine adventure....Just the right blend of adventure, action and gritty realism to keep audiences riveted throughout....A smart, slick crowd-pleaser..."

    • Box Office
  • In 1942, to frustrate the Nazis decimating the Atlantic convoys, the US Navy plans to capture a stricken U-boat -... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of U-571

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  • 13 out of 14 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    An entertaining movie..pity your reviewers don't read the credits!

    As a movie, the challenge for the director was to produce an entertaining and gripping motion picture when at the same time the audience knows (or can guess) the outcome. Not an easy task, but this was accomplished in a commendable way. It is an action movie and the pace never lets up! I was doubtful about this at the start but I can truly say I really enjoyed it.

    As for those who say that the Americans were re-writing naval history, I would say that first of all there is no claim in the movie that this was the first capture of an enigma coding machine. Secondly, before you exit form the movie, read the credits! It is dedicated to allied ships and men who captured enigma evidence. It lists in order the three British ships of the Royal Navy, starting with HMS Bulldog (a “B”class destroyer) which captured U-110 on May 9th, 1941. And yes, guys, whether you like it or not, the yanks did seize an enigma machine from U-505 on June 4th, 1944 by Task Group 22.3…but by destroyers (not a US submarine).

    So yes, history was re-written, but give credit to the movie producers where credit is due for producing an entertaining movie.

      • CDR Peter R Hibbert USN from London, England
  • Most recent members' review of U-571

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars

    Hollywood! Hang your head in shame!!

    The most that you can say about this travesty of a film is that the Germans speak German. Okay, so the END credits reveal that it was in fact the British who captured the first Enigma machine and NOT the Americans, but you have to sit through this plot-holed, self-congratulatory, 'All-American' clap-trap before that nugget of information is revealled. Harvey Keitel hides behind a moustache (and for good reason) and the effects are cringingly amateur. It's also unintentionally funny to see a run-down German U-boat perform amazing feats in the hands of a single American engineer. If you want to watch a REAL submarine movie, rent 'Das Boot'.

      • A customer from Newmarket
  • News and features

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    U-571

    It is a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Will Smith

    • 02 Dec 2005

    Men In Black star Will Smith is to appear as a superhero with a difference. Smith, whose films include Ali, Bad Boys and Enemy Of The State, has signed up to take the lead in a new comedy superhero flick, Tonight, He Comes. The former Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air will play a superhero who hits a mid-life crisis when his powers start to let him down. The comedy was to be directed Michael Mann (Manhunter, The Last Of The Mohicans), but he has now decided to take a role as a producer so he can focus on Read more

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Rating breakdown

3,436 Member ratings
  • 100
179
  • 90
184
  • 80
471
  • 70
585
  • 60
817
  • 50
430
  • 40
316
  • 30
177
  • 20
185
  • 10
92

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    • U-571 - BLU-RAY Version
      Faithful to the conventions of the World War II genre, Mostow's (BREAKDOWN) submarine thriller pays earnest homage to the pluck and determination of ordinary people forced to overcome extraordinary odds. The mostly young and inexperienced crew of the S-33 is deployed on a top secret, high-priority ...

    • U-571
      Faithful to the conventions of the World War II genre, Mostow's (BREAKDOWN) submarine thriller pays earnest homage to the pluck and determination of ordinary people forced to overcome extraordinary odds. The mostly young and inexperienced crew of the S-33 is deployed on a top secret, high-priority ...