A war film that has been branded as “taut, breathtakingly thrilling, and devastatingly intelligent” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Das Boot, released in 1981, tells the story of the German submarine U-96 patrolling the Atlantic Ocean during World War 2, and the crew’s struggles with managing tense conflicts, intense storms, and periods of confined boredom.
The incredible film, which is often labelled as “one of the greatest war films ever made”, has an impressive score of 98% on film review website Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the performance and authenticity.
Variety said: “Everything described in the film is authentic.”
Empire Magazine wrote: “The execution is second to none; taut, claustrophobic and overwhelming.”
Das Boot was written and directed by Wolfgang Peterson, and produced by Gunter Rohrbach. The film is based on Lothar-Gunther Buchheim’s 1973 semi-authobiographical novel of the same name.
During the making of the film Heinrich Lehmann, the real captian of U-96 during Buchheim’s patrol and one of Germany’s ‘tonnage ages’ (a group of the top German U-boat commanders during the Battle of Atlantic), as well as Hans-Joachim Krug, former first officer on U-219, served as film consultants.
Fans have raved about how the realism displayed throughtout the film, as well as the suspense, with some even branding it as a “masterpiece”.
Aender S said: “A masterpiece of a war film, letting the audience literally feel the claustrophobia from the insides of a submarine. Due to its tension it doesn’t become boring a single moment.”
Texyz T wrote: “I saw this 3 times the first year it was out, 1981, in German with English subtitles. Then later they released it dubbed in English, and I saw it again. Very authentic looking scenes, big or small. Told from the German perspective, if you like war movies, this is as good as it gets, a masterpiece….and I need to see it again!”
Its said that one of Peterson’s goals for the film was to guide the audience through “a journey to the edge of the mind”, which fans have affirmed was achieved.
Andrew C said: “Claustrophobic. Wolfgang Peterson captures the intensity of the situation in an incredible way. One of the best films of its kind.”
Echoing the notion of the review, CodyZamboni Z wrote: “Absolutely one of the best war films ever made. The claustrophopic atmosphere under the sea is descriped and made to feel to the audience. And it gives the feeling of heroics of war just in order to make it clear how much the whole war is a waste of human life.”